Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-06

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, there has been considerable debate about whether continuing education results in a better lifestyle or it can have a negative impact one the development. I strongly believe that continuing education will always influence the new generation in a positive manner. This essay will examine both perspectives before presenting my own opinion.

Nowadays, a few number of individuals assume that being practical is the ultimate path of becoming a successful person rather than mastering the fundamentals of education. However, acquiring knowledge develops and shapes the future of a person. Education helps the people to be aware of the surroundings and make them capable of facing the outer world without facing any challenges. For instance, an individual who has never been taught about math, physics and science can never face the world. Comparatively, people who are well educated in their field can not only make an impression, they can impress anyone showcasing their knowledge and skills.

In addition, several universities have started introducing advanced courses like computer science, data analytics, cyber security and artificial intelligence. They have widened up the range of available courses for students across the globe. Having numerous options have made the decision-making a tough nut to crack, while it has impacted the society in a positive way. Now students have more facilities to enhance their skills and have the opportunity to get dual degrees by studying two majors. For example, people can now get admission in various field according to their preferences and can apply for masters in any one of them.

To conclude, people pursuing their education and the expansion of courses does play a significant role in the positive development of a person's future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the increase in higher education and the range of courses. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention that education shapes the future and helps people face the world, these points are not fully extended with specific, concrete examples. The prompt asks for your opinion on whether this is a positive or negative development; you state it is positive, but the argument lacks depth. For instance, the claim that someone without math or physics knowledge 'can never face the world' is an over-generalisation. To reach a higher band, focus on providing more nuanced, logical support for your arguments rather than broad, sweeping statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'However', and 'To conclude' to link sentences. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly misused, such as 'Comparatively' in the second paragraph, which does not accurately signal the intended contrast. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs needs more variety and precision to move beyond a Band 6 level.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'fundamentals', 'data analytics', and 'cyber security'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'a few number of individuals' (should be 'a small number') and 'widened up the range' (should be 'widened the range'). The phrase 'tough nut to crack' is an idiom that is generally too informal for an academic essay. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoid informal idioms, ensuring that your vocabulary choices are consistently appropriate for a formal register.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is a good start. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'impact one the development' (should be 'on the development'), 'helps the people to be aware' (should be 'helps people become aware'), and 'get admission in various field' (should be 'get admission into various fields'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to limit the score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, preposition usage, and pluralisation.

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.