Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-20

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 6.0)

Many young people take a year off between finishing school and starting university. In order to gain work experience or travel. Although some people believe that this may delay their education, I strongly agree that taking a gap year can benefit the individual return to their studies

Firstly, gap year allows student to gain practical experience and different life skills by working, volunteering or participating in internships. They can learn how to communicate effectively, how to manage time, and take responsibility for their own decisions . This skills are often difficult to acquire through academic study alone. For example; student who works part time in a company may develop team work and problem solving skill which will be useful in their future studies.

Secondly, traveling during a gap year can broaden young people's perspectives. Experiencing different culture and meeting people form diverse background can make students more independent, confident and open minded. Furthermore, a break from formal education can help students understand their interest and choose a university course more carefully. As a result, they me return to education with clearer goals, a broad vision and greater motivation.

However, taking a gap year can have disadvantages. Students may loose their academic routine or become less motivated to return to education. There is also a possibility that travelling without a clear purpose could simply waste their valuable time. Therefore, it is important for students to plan their gap year carefully and set specific goals.

In conclusion, i believe that taking a gap year is beneficial if it is use productively. Work experience, travel and personal development can help young people become more mature, independent and motivated, ultimately making their return to education more rewarding.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, clearly stating your position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the mention of internships and the development of soft skills. The structure is logical, and you have balanced the argument by acknowledging potential disadvantages before concluding. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are fully extended; for instance, you could elaborate more on how specific 'life skills' translate into academic success to provide a more comprehensive analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use paragraphing effectively to separate distinct points, and cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with sentence-level cohesion, such as the fragmented sentence in the introduction ('In order to gain work experience or travel'). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that every sentence is grammatically complete would enhance the flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'practical experience', 'diverse background', and 'formal education' appropriately. There are some minor errors in word choice and form, such as 'me return' instead of 'may return' and 'loose' instead of 'lose'. While you attempt to use some less common vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and academic synonyms to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('gap year allows student' should be 'gap years allow students') and punctuation errors (e.g., the semicolon usage in 'For example; student'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for articles, pluralization, and basic punctuation will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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