Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-11

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)

Globally, there are many schhols and colleges where the education is co or mixed. To an extent, many parents believe that co-education is good for thier kids as it develops the sense of confidence, poise and courage. However, some parents oppose co-education for several social, cultural and academic reasons. Some of the reasons are discussed below.

1. Co-education can distract students from their studies, especially during adolescence.

2. Students may feel pressure to impress their classmates, which can negatively affect their academic performence

3. Some parents believe that seperate education is more suitable because of their cultural and religious values.

4. Some students may feel shy or uncomfortable while speaking or participating in front of the opposite gender.

5. Close interaction between boys and girls may sometimes lead to relationships that can distract students from their educational goals.

6. Some people argue that boys and girls may have different learning needs, so seperate schools can provide a more suitable environment.

In conclusion, although co-education has several advantages, such as improving confidence,communication skills, and social interaction, it can also have some disadvantages. It may distract students from their studies and create peer pressure, particularly among teenagers. Moreover, some parents may consider mixed educatiin inappropriate because of thier cultural and religious values. I believe that the advantages of mixed education outweighs the disadvantages if schools provide a respectful and disciplined environment. With proper guidance from teachers and parents, students can learn to communicate with others while remaining focused on thier studies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the co-education debate and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the task achievement is significantly hampered by the structure; the use of a numbered list is inappropriate for an IELTS essay, which requires formal paragraphing. Furthermore, the response is 249 words, falling just short of the 250-word minimum requirement. While the ideas are relevant, they are presented as a list rather than developed into cohesive paragraphs with supporting evidence or examples. This lack of development and the failure to meet the minimum length requirement limit the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a standard academic structure. Instead of using paragraphs to develop arguments, the student uses a numbered list, which is not acceptable for an IELTS Task 2 response. While there is a brief introduction and conclusion, the body of the essay lacks logical progression and cohesive devices. The transition between the list and the conclusion is abrupt. To improve, you must group your ideas into well-structured paragraphs, each with a clear topic sentence, supporting arguments, and relevant examples, connected by appropriate linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'on the other hand'.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express basic ideas clearly. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'schhols', 'thier', 'performence', 'seperate', and 'educatiin'. These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive; for instance, the word 'distract' is used multiple times. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise and varied vocabulary and ensure careful proofreading to eliminate basic spelling mistakes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are recurring grammatical errors, such as 'the education is co or mixed' and 'the advantages... outweighs' (subject-verb agreement). Punctuation is generally functional, but the overall control of grammar is inconsistent. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that complex sentences are constructed accurately. The reliance on a list format also prevents the demonstration of a wider range of complex grammatical structures that would be expected in a standard essay format.

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.