Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-29

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

A huge number of students choose to study English independently on a self- study basis rather than attend a formal course. However, without the assistance of a teacher, students often find it difficult to manage their studies.

To what extent do you agree or disagree ?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Learning a language or subject is very essential to understand it. There is a debate over students studying english on their own instead of teachers guidance. While some people believe that self learning is difficult for learners, especially managing their studies. I do agree with the fact that student need assistance and proper curriculum for their education.

On the one hand, schools and teachers can help learners for dealing with difficulties during their learning process. Proper timetables are followed and right teachers are allocated for required subjects. these are trained professionals who have expertise and experience in their particular subjects. They also encourage the concept of group study which make the children more expressive and social. Another advantage is that a reliable syallabus plan is followed in formal courses. For example, they start teaching a lesson with the basic concepts. Afterthat, they introduce students to the deep understanding of it. Quizzes,assignments and mid-term exams are also conducted to observe the performance of children. Based on these results, teachers try to improve the skillsets of them, especially focus on the areas in which they are lacking.

On the other hand, self education is possible in current time because learning resources and material are available online. students can acess them free of cost. it also prevent them from following any timetable. For instance, he can decide about time in a day when he want to study. there is no fixed schedule made neccesary for him. skills can be developed or improved thorugh various articles, blogs, tutorials videos and books available on internet.

Although, studying independently gives you the advantage of cheaper price, unlimited resources available and it prevent you from following specific routine daily. The advantages of schools and formal study structure are greater than it. In my opinion, students should get education through schools with proper guidance of professors for effective learning. They can use self-study as a supplement to increase creativity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt directly, presenting a clear position on the debate regarding self-study versus formal education. The writer agrees that students need proper assistance and a structured curriculum. Ideas are extended and supported, particularly in the second paragraph where the benefits of schools are elaborated with examples such as basic concepts progressing to deep understanding, alongside quizzes and mid-term exams. However, the development of ideas in the third paragraph regarding online self-study leans slightly towards over-generalisation and lacks deep extension. Overall, the task is successfully addressed, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6, though fully comprehensive development of all supporting points prevents it from reaching a Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a clear overall arrangement with an introduction, two body paragraphs presenting opposing views, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'For example' are employed to guide the reader through the text. However, referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the third paragraph where the pronoun 'he' shifts abruptly without a clear singular antecedent ('students can acess them... for instance, he can decide'). Additionally, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, placing this criterion firmly in the Band 6 descriptor range due to occasional faulty cohesion and referencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common items and academic phrases, such as 'expertise and experience', 'reliable syllabus plan', and 'supplement'. However, there are several spelling and word-choice errors, including 'english' (uncapitalized), 'syallabus', 'acess', 'neccesary', and 'thorugh'. Furthermore, phrases like 'cheaper price' (instead of 'lower cost') and 'observe the performance' (instead of 'assess') show a limited grasp of natural collocations. Because these errors do not impede communication but occur frequently, the response aligns with Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. Examples of complex structures include concessive clauses such as 'While some people believe that self learning is difficult...'. However, there are frequent grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('student need assistance'), sentence fragments ('especially managing their studies'), missing articles, and capitalization mistakes. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear and they rarely impede overall communication. The presence of these persistent errors places the grammar squarely at Band 6.

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