Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-07

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 6.0)

Nowadays, in several countries across the world, there has been an increase in the amount of people who carry on studying having finished school. This is in alignment with an increase in courses available to people at relevant colleges and universities.

In my opinion, this is a positive development.

I believe this for various reasons including it shows an increase in diverse education across the world.

Perhaps years ago there was not the same course selection that people have nowadays and as a result they were not able to study something they enjoyed or were interested in. This would increase the change of not finishing studies or enjoying work, thus an increase in the amount of people unhappy in the workplace and potentially quitting their job.

Whereas now, there is a broader selection of courses that can enable people to complete further studies on a subject or topic they are actually interested in.

This reduces the amount of people who may end up studying or working in something they do not wish to do, which can be seen as a positive development.

Another reason this can be viewed positively is economically.

It can be argued that if people have more courses available to them at university and college after school, they are more likely to find employment.

For many, it is hard to decide what to do after school, i.e. find employment or continue studies. To have further options outside of school and immediate employment, e.g. finding a suitable course at university or college, must be viewed as a positive development.

Overall, to conclude, I believe the fact that more people are continuing education after school has increased must be viewed as a positive development and I hope my piece of text exemplifies why.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by clearly stating a position that the increase in further education is a positive development. The ideas are relevant, focusing on personal fulfillment and economic benefits. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding economic benefits is quite brief and could have been strengthened with more specific examples or a deeper explanation of how increased education leads to better employment outcomes. While the position is clear throughout, the essay would benefit from more detailed supporting evidence to reach a higher band, as some points remain slightly superficial.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and mechanical. Phrases like 'This is in alignment with' and 'Another reason this can be viewed positively' are used to transition, but the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure feels a bit formulaic. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring a more sophisticated progression of ideas would enhance the coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their opinions clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific language, such as 'further studies' and 'employment'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic vocabulary (e.g., 'increase', 'amount of people', 'good'). There are no significant spelling errors, but the word choice lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, the student should focus on using more varied synonyms and collocations to avoid repetition and add depth to their arguments.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the grammar is generally accurate and communication is not impeded, there are some minor errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'increase in the amount of people' (should be 'number of people') and 'increase the change of not finishing' (likely meant 'chance'). The control of punctuation is generally good, but the sentence variety is somewhat restricted. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim to incorporate a wider range of complex grammatical structures with greater precision and fewer minor slips.

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.