Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-23

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)

In contemporary society, it has been seen that a large number of people further their education to universities and colleges after their secondary school, and consequently the number of courses in higher institutions have increased greatly. In my opinion, it is a positive development because of the diverse knowledge acquired and the various opportunities for individuals to pursue their dreams. These points will be explained in the following paragraphs with relevant examples, followed by a logical conclusion.

To begin with, when individuals proceed to attend higher educational institution after their secondary school education, they gain diverse knowledge and skills that can provide employment opportunities for them later in life. Hence, the ability to earn a living and cater for themselves and their families without having to depend on other people or the government for help. For example, workers who earn wages can provide food, shelter and meet the basic needs of their families.

Furthermore, with the eagerness to attend universities and colleges, and the provision of a wide varieties of courses, individuals can now genuinely chase their dreams and even improve on already existing talents. This can later bring fulfillment in life, as individuals feel satisfied that they were able to explore their talents. Take for instance, an individual that is good with playing musical instruments like the keyboard or have the interest of learning how to play, this individual can take up lessons in it and subsequently undergo a degree in either Music or playing instruments. This, can bring the feeling of accomplishment, as they did not only get a degree, they also explored their talents.

In conclusion, more and more people now attend universities and colleges, with the introduction of variety of courses. This is a positive development in my opinion because, knowledge and be acquired and people can also pursue their dreams.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by clearly stating a positive position. The ideas regarding employment opportunities and personal fulfillment are relevant. However, the development is somewhat limited; the second body paragraph relies on a single, slightly narrow example of music, which lacks the depth required for a higher band. While the position is consistent, the arguments could be more thoroughly extended with broader societal or economic implications to better satisfy the requirements for a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs with a clear introduction and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow within paragraphs is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression could be smoother. The essay maintains a coherent overall structure, which is sufficient for this level.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'contemporary society' and 'higher educational institution'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing (e.g., 'good with playing', 'cater for themselves'). To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise, academic collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate greater flexibility and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'the number of courses... have increased' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'an individual that is good... or have the interest' (parallelism issues). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are unnecessary commas, such as in 'This, can bring'. The errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.

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

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