Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-03

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Write about the following topic:

Many young people choose to take a year out between finishing school and starting university in order to gain work experience or to travel. The experience of non-academic life this offers benefits the individual when they return to education.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Taking a gap between studies to enhance your skills and gaining knowledge about the market before choosing your career and starting university is a great way for a student to actually understand the path he would like for himself rather than relying on parents and elders guidance. In the following paragrapghs, I would share the positive and negative aspects of taking a gap year and why I prefer that its a positive way for a student to take off between studies.

First of all, I would like to share how people preceive a gap year and why its frowned upon. The number one reason is that students who take a gap year; find themselves a decent way of earning through a startup business or a job with perks, prefer to quit studying and focus on earning and becoming independant at a young age. Secondly, travelling around the world makes a person understand the real values of life and how the top entreprenuers are not all graduates but rather your skills are what matters to earn a living.

On the other hand, I would like to argue that gap year is a positive change for a student and it enhances the thinking capabilities of a person. A student who after school travelled the world for a year would have vast knowledge of what is trending and which career direction would be beneficial in the future. He would be mature enough to think about his desires and needs and which direction he would be able to excel in, so his future is secure and a steady growth would be possible.

I understand why some people prefer a continuous education and then seek jobs or travel, but in the 21st century, skills matter more than degree. If a student is aware of his career directions and is responsible for his own actions, that student would think better for himself than an elder guiding him to specific 4 5 fields everyone is choosing.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout, arguing that a gap year is a positive experience. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While you mention the benefits of maturity and career awareness, the discussion of the 'negative' aspects is slightly confusing; you frame them as reasons why people frown upon gap years, but then pivot to how these experiences (like earning money) are actually positive. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a distinct, well-supported argument rather than mixing perspectives. The conclusion is a bit brief and could more effectively synthesize the main points to reinforce your position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Secondly', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader. However, the transitions between sentences are sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the link between 'earning money' and 'frowning upon gap years' feels disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally from the previous one would help elevate the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'entrepreneurs', 'independent', and 'continuous education'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as 'preceive' (perceive), 'paragrapghs' (paragraphs), and 'independant' (independent). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly informal or awkward, such as 'take off between studies'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure consistent accuracy in spelling. Expanding your vocabulary to include more sophisticated synonyms for common words would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally distract the reader. For example, there are issues with subject-verb agreement ('the path he would like for himself'), missing articles, and incorrect punctuation, such as the semicolon usage in 'gap year; find themselves'. The sentence structure is sometimes repetitive, relying heavily on 'A student who...'. To improve, focus on mastering complex sentence forms and proofreading for minor grammatical slips to ensure your writing is more polished.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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