Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-20
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 5.5)
In recent years, the quality of education has improved in many countries. More and more people continuing their learning after school because educational institutes give them a opportunity to learn soft skills and also promotes long term prosperity of the country. Furthermore , universities and college student can choose subjects according to their interest. I believe that it is a positive development because it have more significant advantages.
First and foremost, if students hold their degree after completing their higher education, they are able to compete in job market. Additionally. if large number of students become professional in their fields, they have the more chances of getting job in their country, Consequently, it result in the long term prosperity of the country.
Secondly, universities programs have provide the more options in selecting course such as arts department, psychology, medical, mathematics and many others. students can freely chose their favourite subject and get good grades in it. Thirdly, universities and college training center give a chance to students to learn more apart from studies such as soft skills. They learn about their failure and become independent in decision making.
On the other hand, more and more pupils do not continue their education after school because they believe that earning money is more crucial than higher education especially those whom come from a unstable financial back ground. Secondly, strictness of the degree programs and higher fees restrict students to continue their vocational training after school. From my perspective, government should invests in educational institutes and provide some scholarships to students who are unable to pay their fees.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the increase in higher education and taking a clear position that it is a positive development. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While you provide reasons for the positive nature of the trend, the fourth paragraph introduces counter-arguments regarding financial barriers and lack of interest, which slightly weakens the clarity of your overall position. To improve, ensure that your supporting points are more thoroughly explained with specific examples rather than just listing them. The conclusion is missing, which is a significant omission for a balanced essay structure.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'Additionally', and 'Secondly'. However, some transitions are mechanical or used incorrectly, such as 'Additionally.' followed by a full stop, and 'Thirdly' appearing in the middle of a paragraph. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between the positive arguments and the counter-arguments could be smoother. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words will help the essay read more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'long term prosperity', 'vocational training', and 'financial background'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'hold their degree' (should be 'obtain a degree') and 'universities programs have provide' (should be 'provide'). Some vocabulary is repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'students' and 'education'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that word forms are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('it have more significant advantages', 'it result in'), incorrect verb forms ('have provide'), and missing articles ('in job market', 'from a unstable financial back ground'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of full stops and commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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