Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-27

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 many countries nowadays, the number of people interested in continuing their education after school level completion has increased and the number of courses available at educational institutions has doubled over the years. In my point of view this is a highly positive development because the variety of subjects has increased a lot.

First of all, this point of view is positive because the number of subjects available have increased and students related to different sciences can choose from related fields they are interested in. If the students have studied biology or any other related field in their school days then it is more likely that they would enroll in sciences related to them such as bioengineering, biotechnology and physiology. There are also students interested in engineering and enroll in classes like cybersecurity or Ai technology related courses.

Furthermore, education is a plus point because it helps the economic sector and creates people with specialized skills which contribute a lot to society. Having said that these specialists maybe medical related such as medical equipment technicians, nurse assistants especially the ones assisting the doctors in the operation rooms and a lot of patients in the ward. For Example, take biology as an example it has a lot of branches and sub-branches such as marine biology, botany, physiology, zoology, chemistry, genetics and microbiology etc.

Admittedly, pursuing higher education may delay getting jobs but it is more beneficial to get a specialized degree which will boost their overall profile and allow them to earn more than usual.

In conclusion, its better to contribute a lot to economy and serve the society in a way that will be beneficial for all of us.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by clearly stating that the increase in higher education is a positive development. You provide relevant ideas regarding the diversification of subjects and the economic benefits of a skilled workforce. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the paragraph on economic benefits relies heavily on listing examples of medical roles rather than explaining the broader societal impact. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explored with clear reasoning. While you address all parts of the task, the depth of analysis is inconsistent, which limits the overall impact of your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally weak. For example, the transition between the discussion of medical roles and the list of biology branches feels abrupt. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each sentence builds naturally upon the previous one, rather than simply listing ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'specialized skills', 'biotechnology', and 'educational institutions'. However, there is a reliance on repetitive phrasing, such as the repeated use of 'related to' and 'increased'. Some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'education is a plus point', which is too informal for an academic essay. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repeating the same vocabulary within short intervals. Expanding your range of synonyms will help convey your ideas with more sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the number of subjects available have increased' should be 'has increased') and punctuation errors, including missing commas and incorrect apostrophes ('its better' should be 'it is better'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly awkward in their construction. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic errors and work on integrating more complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, with greater accuracy.

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

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