Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-16

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)

Nowadays, many school students take a break for a year after their school before starting their university to experience new things and have some real knowledge about work also to travel and explore the world. I think it is vital to have experience about things and exploring the world because it can give to person a piece of mind and it is a great way of relaxing. However, I totally disagree with the notion of abundant study for year. In this essay i will give reason to that why it is a bad strategy.

To begin with, Abounding study for a year can have some drawbacks on a student career. For example, If a student take break from their study to work if it is related to the subject or it is not related it could lead him to inconsistency and due to the gap a student would be not able to consist in study due to the long break.

Moreover, When students take long breaks in their studies it is often recorded that they achieved less marks in their exams.For instance, when a student takes too many vocations, So their syllabus is halved, at a result they will not able to achieved their desire marks.

In Conclusion, By taking long breaks in studies have some benefits like a student can experienced new things also gain some knowledge about their subject and have some fun by traveling.But taking break for a year or more have more drawbacks then advantages, because it can make a student inconsistent and also effect their academic performance.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

Your position is broadly clear: you acknowledge that a year out can offer experience and relaxation, but argue that its disadvantages outweigh its benefits. However, the response only partially develops the task. The main reasons against a gap year are that students may become inconsistent in their studies and achieve lower marks, but these claims are asserted rather than explained or supported with a relevant example. The opening also refers to “abundant study for year,” which makes your central argument unclear, and the conclusion introduces benefits without showing how they relate to your overall judgement. Develop each reason by explaining how the experience affects readiness for university, and include a specific example to support your view.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. “To begin with” and “Moreover” signal the two main points, and the conclusion returns to the idea that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow: the first body paragraph moves from work experience to a general claim about inconsistency without clearly connecting the steps. The second paragraph’s example about holidays and a halved syllabus is also not clearly linked to taking a year out. Some linking phrases are used mechanically, and the conclusion repeats earlier claims rather than drawing them together. Make each paragraph follow a clear reason–explanation–example sequence and use references that make the relationships between ideas explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “work experience,” “university,” “academic performance” and “drawbacks,” so the reader can identify the subject of the essay. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or unnatural choices make parts of the argument unclear. “Abounding study for a year” does not express the intended idea of taking a break, while “too many vocations” appears to mean holidays or vacations. Phrases such as “piece of mind” and “achieved less marks” also show imprecise word choice or collocation. Aim to use accurate expressions for the central topic, such as “take a gap year,” and check collocations when describing academic outcomes. More precise vocabulary would help you explain your reasons without relying on repeated general terms such as “things” and “breaks.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a conditional example beginning “If a student take break…” and a concluding sentence that contrasts benefits with drawbacks. However, complex structures are often faulty, and frequent errors sometimes make the intended meaning harder to follow. Examples include “a student take” instead of “a student takes,” “they achieved less marks” instead of a correctly formed past-tense clause, and “a student would be not able to consist in study.” Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in “take break” and the run-on spacing around “exams.For instance.” Practise building accurate sentences with one main clause and a clearly connected supporting clause, then check subject–verb agreement, verb forms, articles and punctuation.

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