Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-18
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 4.5)
MOST OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO TAKE A ONE-YEAR GAP BETWEEN FINISHING SCHOOL AND STARTING UNIVERSITY. BECAUSE TO GAIN WORK EXPERIENCE OR TO TRAVEL. THIS EXPERIENCE IS USEFUL FOR NON-ACADEMIC LIFE; IT OFFERS AN ADVANTAGE TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHEN THEY RETURN TO EDUCATION.
I BELEVING TO TAKE A YEAR OUT AFTER SCHOOLING PARENTS GIVE A FREEDOM TO CHILDRENS TO WENT OUTSIDE WHICH IS USEFUL FOR LEARNING HOW TO SURVIVE WITH OTHERS.
I OPPOSE THIS STATEMENT. AFTER SCHOOLING STUDENTS CONTINUE THEIR STUDIES IN HIGHER-LEVEL EDUCATION, WHICH IS HELPFUL FOR STUDENTS' CAREER. THEY WILL CONTINUE ACQUIRING SUBJECTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND MOVE FORWARD TO REACH THEIR GOAL.
CONTINUING THEIR STUDIES GAINS KNOWLEDGE AND IMPROVES PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITY . THEY UNDERSTAND THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SUBJECTS, AND THEY CONTINUE THE PREVIOUS THEORY. WITH TIME, PEOPLE GET THEIR DEGREE CERTIFICATES, WHICH ARE USEFUL FOR APPLYING TO GOVERNMENT JOBS. ACHIEVE A JOB VERY EARLY TO BE SUCCESSFULLY SETTLED IN THEIR LIFE.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 154 words. This significantly limits the development of ideas. While you state a position, the arguments are underdeveloped and lack the necessary depth and supporting examples required for an academic essay. The response is repetitive and does not fully explore the implications of a gap year versus immediate university entry. To improve, you must expand your arguments with specific examples and ensure you address all parts of the prompt in greater detail to meet the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into short, disjointed paragraphs. While there is a basic attempt to organize ideas, the progression is not logical or smooth. The use of cohesive devices is very limited, and some sentences feel disconnected from the previous ones. For example, the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. To achieve a higher band, you need to use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in contrast') to connect your ideas and improve the overall flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple terms like 'useful', 'gain', and 'continue'. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or precise collocations. Furthermore, there are errors in word formation, such as 'I beleving' instead of 'I believe' and 'childrens' instead of 'children'. To improve, you should focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to education and career development, and practice using synonyms to avoid repeating the same words throughout the essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5
The grammatical range is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentence structures. There are frequent errors in basic grammar, including subject-verb agreement ('parents give a freedom'), tense usage, and sentence fragments ('Because to gain work experience'). The use of all-caps also makes the text difficult to read and is inappropriate for an academic task. To improve, you should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, punctuation, and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Attempting more complex sentence structures will also help improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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