Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-07-26

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries these days, the number of people continuing their education after school has increased, and the range of courses available at universities and colleges has also increased.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant experience.

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Nowadays, the concept of lifelong education has been adopted by the general public and a broader range of courses can be seen at educational institutions. Despite the cost, it is definitely a positive development as society will have more educated citizens.

Firstly, continuing their education after school can help individuals further improve themselves and therefore become more well-rounded. For instance, students who graduate from science-related majors may not be able to find jobs immediately, but through continuous learning, they may either secure the job positions they have wanted for a long time or discover new opportunities, which indirectly guide them to find more suitable careers. In addition, although some learners still cannot access their ideal industries after years of self-improving, learning itself is an invaluable transferable skill, which can help them adapt to other fields.

Secondly, even though adding more courses at universities and colleges may put a financial strain on governments, its benefits can influence millions of students. To illustrate this, students majoring in computer science may be interested in the arts as well. In the past, they had to hold their curiosity back and solely focus on their main major, whereas modern students have opportunities to carve out some time studying how to draw and paint from professional teachers. As a result, their lives as students are more colorful and interesting, encouraging more students to study hard. Moreover, it is worth noticing that this approach may even inspire more people to be lifelong learners as more people have been exposed to more majors, enabling them to find what they want to learn.

In conclusion, I believe that lifelong education together with more courses available at colleges can drive a positive development because they help individuals find what they want to do and secure better job positions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating that the trend is a positive development. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the discussion on computer science students exploring the arts. However, the development of the arguments could be more nuanced. For instance, the point about financial strain on governments is mentioned but not fully explored or countered in depth. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main arguments. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully extended with more specific evidence or logical consequences.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', 'To illustrate this', and 'Moreover' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate. The flow is smooth, and the reader is guided through the argument without confusion. The use of transition signals is natural and contributes to the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. You demonstrate a good range of topic-specific language, such as 'lifelong education', 'transferable skill', 'financial strain', and 'carve out some time'. There is an attempt to use less common items, and the word choice is generally precise. While the vocabulary is effective, it lacks the sophisticated, idiomatic, or highly precise collocations that would characterize a band 8 or 9. The language is natural and conveys your meaning clearly without any significant errors in word choice or spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There is good control over grammar, and the majority of sentences are error-free. Examples of complex structures include conditional-like constructions and relative clauses, such as 'students who graduate from science-related majors may not be able to find jobs immediately'. Punctuation is generally accurate, and there are no major errors that impede communication. To improve, you could incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more sophisticated passive constructions, to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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