Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-17

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 7.0)

This is largely a positive development. More people pursuing further education can improve their career prospects, while a wider selection of courses allows students to choose paths that suit their interests and the needs of modern society.

Firstly, higher education often gives individuals access to better employment opportunities. Many professions now require specialised knowledge, and a university or college qualification can help applicants stand out in a competitive job market. For example, fields such as software development, healthcare and renewable energy require technical skills that are rarely taught in school. As a result, continuing education can lead to higher incomes and greater job security.

Secondly, a broader range of courses benefits both students and the economy. Traditional degrees in subjects such as law, medicine and business remain valuable, but newer programmes in areas like data science, environmental studies and digital media reflect changing labour-market demands. Students are therefore able to develop relevant skills, and employers can find graduates trained for emerging industries. This can support innovation and economic growth.

There are, however, some drawbacks. If too many young people attend university simply because it is expected of them, they may accumulate debt or graduate without clear career prospects. In addition, practical vocational training should not be undervalued, since societies also need skilled electricians, technicians and tradespeople.

Overall, the growth in participation and course variety is a positive trend, provided that students receive good careers guidance and that vocational routes are respected alongside university education.

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AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student addresses all parts of the task by clearly stating their position that the trend is largely positive, while also acknowledging potential drawbacks. Ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as mentioning fields like 'software development, healthcare and renewable energy'. However, the response contains 246 words, which falls short of the minimum 250-word requirement. Because of this length violation, the task response is penalised, preventing it from reaching a higher band score. Nonetheless, the development of ideas remains clear and focused throughout the essay, demonstrating a good overall understanding of the prompt requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with a clear introduction, moving through well-structured body paragraphs with explicit signposting ('Firstly', 'Secondly', 'There are, however, some drawbacks'), and concluding with a summary. Cohesive devices are used effectively to connect ideas, and paragraphing is appropriate throughout. Referencing and substitution are handled smoothly, contributing to the overall readability and coherent flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an academic discussion. Less common items such as 'career prospects', 'specialised knowledge', 'competitive job market', and 'labour-market demands' are used naturally. Word choice is generally precise, and collocation is appropriate. While there are no major lexical errors, the vocabulary remains somewhat standard for this essay type, fulfilling the criteria comfortably for a solid band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writing exhibits a good variety of complex structures alongside accurate simple sentences. Examples of complex clauses include 'Many professions now require specialised knowledge, and a university or college qualification can help applicants stand out...' and 'If too many young people attend university simply because it is expected of them, they may accumulate debt...'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control is strong throughout punctuation and tense usage, representing a reliable performance across the band 7 descriptors.

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

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