Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-09

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)

Co-education has become widely spread in various areas of the world. While it is argued that girls and boys should be studied in separate educational institutes. As far as I am concerned, education in mixed schools build confidence, offer various chances of growth for both genders, and provide competitive learning environment. While separate schools has become a necessity for those girls who could not get permission to study in mixed schools due to family issues.

To begin with, co-education boosts confidence when individuals learn with opposite gender. It also reduces the shyness in many female students. The perfect example of this is that people who study in such an environment have various extraordinary skills. Consequently, they can get succeeded in any department where both genders work together.

Furthermore, this system gives many opportunities for development to all students. For instance, now women have equal rights and can work with male staff in any field. As a result, there is no need for the government to build separate institutes for girls and boys.

On the other hand, education in separate schools has benefits for those girls who do not get permission to study with boys. So these girls can avail equal chances of learning in separate schools.

In conclusion, mixed schools has many advantages such as, develop confidence and provide various growth opportunities for both genders. While single-sex schools are necessary for those female students who want to study for better future.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt but fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While you present a clear position, the arguments are somewhat superficial. For instance, the point about 'family issues' is mentioned but not sufficiently explained or linked to the broader debate. The conclusion repeats points already made rather than synthesising them. To improve, ensure you expand on your arguments with more detailed examples and analysis to meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive discussion of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', 'Consequently'). There are also issues with sentence-level cohesion; for example, the second sentence is a fragment ('While it is argued that...'), which disrupts the flow. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between the benefits of co-education and the necessity of single-sex schools could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each sentence is complete would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'various chances' and 'get succeeded'. There are also some collocation errors, such as 'girls and boys should be studied', which should be 'should be educated' or 'should study'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of more sophisticated or academic vocabulary limits the score. Incorporating more precise terminology related to education and social development would help elevate your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'mixed schools has' (should be 'have') and 'separate schools has' (should be 'have'). There are also punctuation and article errors throughout the text. The sentence structure is occasionally awkward, such as the fragment in the introduction. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest a lack of control over more complex grammatical forms. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and sentence completeness is essential.

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

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