Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-17

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 5.0)

I think that taking a year out between finishing a school and starting university can help them in many ways, like if someone wants to do some certification to increase there skills and ability to perform well among many workers. This will not only increase there confidence will make a better professional in there work place. Other than that they can work as a part time or fulltime to gain experience in different fields, by working there it will enhance there communication problem solving ability. Moreover, travelling can give them experience of dealing with different people understand there culture, societal norms, rules and regulations. When they will return to

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is significantly under-length at only 109 words, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. This severely impacts the development of ideas. While you introduce relevant points such as skill acquisition, work experience, and travel, these are presented as a list rather than being developed into a coherent argument. The position is clear, but the lack of depth and the incomplete nature of the final sentence mean that the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must expand each point with specific examples and ensure the essay follows a standard structure (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion).

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a clear structure, consisting of only one paragraph that ends abruptly. While there are some attempts at cohesive devices like 'Other than that' and 'Moreover', the progression of ideas is limited by the brevity of the text. There is no clear introduction or conclusion, and the flow is hindered by the incomplete final sentence. To achieve a higher score, you need to organize your ideas into distinct paragraphs, each with a clear topic sentence, and use a wider range of linking words to connect your arguments logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'gain experience' and 'increase there [their] skills'. There are also persistent errors in word choice and spelling, most notably the confusion between 'there' and 'their'. To improve, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'professional development', 'cultural immersion', or 'soft skills', and pay closer attention to homophones and basic spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple or compound sentences. There are frequent errors, particularly with possessive pronouns ('there' instead of 'their') and sentence construction. For example, 'This will not only increase there confidence will make a better professional' is grammatically incorrect and lacks necessary subjects or conjunctions. The final sentence is incomplete, which is a significant error. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of pronouns before attempting more complex grammatical forms.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.