Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-26

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)

Taking a gap year before starting university has become a common practice among students. Before deciding whether it is a right or wrong decision, let us make a list of the reasons as to why they do this. A majority of students don't have a clear direction of what they want to do in life. They find difficulty in choosing a degree to major in. Some students want to gain experience in the relevant field even before starting the course. While some students, who come from privileged background, do not have such concerns. They take a year off just for the sake of travelling.

Now, what makes us decide whether it is a good idea or not?

The students who are used to studying for a good chunk of their lives are definitely impacted greatly by this sudden change. Within just one year of non academic life, they may find difficulty in getting back to studying. Some may lose their spark as they once used to have for their academics.

On the other hand, one year gap can also reshape students into grown individuals. They can become a better version of themselves in just an year if they focus on building themselves instead of wasting time. They can learn practical skills that they may use later in life.

In my opinion, it's actually better to take an year off instead of rushing to get admission. What if you choose a wrong field? What if you lose interest halfway in your degree? I think taking an year to explore and understand yourself is a good choice. That is, if you actually work on yourself. Otherwise, it's just a waste of time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you support taking a year out, particularly to explore interests and avoid choosing an unsuitable degree. You also acknowledge a possible disadvantage, noting that students may struggle to return to study, so the response addresses both sides of the question. However, some points are asserted rather than explained. For example, the claim that a gap year can make students “a better version of themselves” would be stronger with a specific explanation or example of how work or travel develops useful qualities. The discussion of students from privileged backgrounds is also introduced but not connected clearly to your overall argument. Develop fewer points in more depth and link each one directly to the benefits of non-academic experience when students resume education.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: it introduces reasons for taking a gap year, considers a drawback, presents benefits, and ends with your opinion. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and transitions such as “On the other hand” make the contrast clear. However, the progression is not always smooth. The opening says “let us make a list,” but the essay does not actually provide a clearly organised list, and the standalone question “Now, what makes us decide whether it is a good idea or not?” interrupts the argument. Some links between ideas are also loose, particularly the shift from privileged students travelling to the later discussion of returning to study. Use topic sentences that state each paragraph’s main point and connect examples explicitly to your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss education and personal development, including “relevant field,” “practical skills,” “lose interest,” and “explore and understand yourself.” These choices make your main ideas clear, and you attempt some less common expressions such as “reshape students into grown individuals.” At times, however, phrasing is imprecise or unnatural: “a good chunk of their lives” is informal for this essay, while “a better version of themselves” is broad and does not specify the benefit. “A clear direction of what they want to do” is also an awkward collocation. Aim for more precise academic wording and avoid repeating general terms such as “year” and “students” when a more specific phrase would clarify the point. The meaning remains understandable despite these limitations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including conditional questions such as “What if you choose a wrong field?” and a subordinate clause in “if they focus on building themselves.” Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with articles and sentence construction: “a right or wrong decision” would be more naturally expressed as “the right or wrong decision,” and “in an year” should be “in a year.” The sentence beginning “While some students…” is a fragment because it is not joined to a main clause. There are also punctuation and consistency issues, such as the informal contractions “don't” and “it's” in an academic essay. Review articles and ensure that every sentence has a complete main clause; these changes would improve accuracy while preserving your varied sentence 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.