Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-21

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many parts of the world girls and boys are educated together in co-educational or mixed schools. Some people think that girls and boys benefit from being educated separately in single-sex schools. To what extent do you agree with this view?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write at least 250 words.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In many countries, it is common for boys and girls to go study together in co-educational school. Nevertheless, some pep[le contend that students would achieve better results if they were taught separately in single sex institutions. I believe there are certain merits to gender segregation education, but I am inclined to believe that co-education offers far better benefits.

Those in the favor of single sex education put forward several arguments, Firstly, they argue that removing gender dynamics from the classroom reduces distractions. Thereby are allowing pupils to concentrate more fully on their studies. Secondly, they claimed that teacher can adopt pedagogical approaches tailored to specific learning styles for girls and boys. For instance, science subjects could be taught in a more hand-on way for boys, While language art might be emphasized for girls. Finally, supporters assert that students, particularly girls, may feel more confident pursing traditionally male- dominated subjects such as physics and engineering in an all-female environment, free from stereotype.

However, I believe the advantages of co-education outweigh these points. The most compelling reason is that mixed school mirror the realities of workplace and society. By interacting with the opposite gender from early age, students develop essential interpersonal skills, mutual respect and ability to collaborate effectively.

In conclusion, single sex schools may provide short-term academic focus, the long term social and professional benefits of co-education is far more effective. In essence, education should not only impart knowledge but also equip student to thrive in a long- term race.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses the prompt well, presenting a clear position and supporting it with relevant arguments. You have covered both sides of the issue before concluding with your own view. However, the response is 249 words long, failing the minimum 250-word requirement. This minor omission impacts the task achievement score, as the instructions were not fully met. To improve, ensure you expand slightly on your supporting points to comfortably exceed the word count. The ideas are well-developed, but a bit more depth in the conclusion or the body paragraphs would have ensured you met the length requirement and strengthened your overall argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with clear paragraphing. You use transition signals such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Finally', and 'However' to guide the reader through your arguments. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the counter-argument to your own perspective. However, there are some minor mechanical issues with cohesion, such as the sentence 'Thereby are allowing pupils...', which is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Additionally, ensure that your referencing is precise to maintain a professional tone throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'gender dynamics', 'pedagogical approaches', and 'interpersonal skills'. There are some spelling errors, such as 'pep[le' (people) and 'hand-on' (hands-on), and minor collocation issues like 'gender segregation education' (gender-segregated education). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band score. Focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling to elevate your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'teacher can adopt' (teachers can adopt), 'While language art might be emphasized' (where language arts might be emphasized), and 'the long term social and professional benefits... is' (are). These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and pluralization, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence forms with greater accuracy.

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

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