Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-12

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that professionals, such as doctors and engineers, should be required to work in the country where they did their training. Others believe they should be free to work in another country if they wish.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

One of the most controversial issue today related to the belief that professionals like doctors and engineers should continue working in the nation where they were practised while others think they should be free to work anywhere. In this essay, I am going to examine this this question from both points of view.

On one side of the arguement there are people who argue that the benefits of considerably outweigh its disadvantages. The main reason for believing this is that workers such as doctors and engineers should be needed to work in the same country where they educated because it seems to be easier to get adapted to the environment, moreover, such trainees already have connections which makes work more comfortable and balancing. It is also possible to say that after their internships, they do not need to find jobs or places for work.

On the other hand, it is also possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that in fact working in the same country of education have benefits but some believe that professionals can work anywhere they want. People often have this opinion because they think trained person are better enough to adjust in any place as their degree and educational skills matters. A particularly good example here is the doctors, who are well trained and educated in India but eventually move to foreign states for work on the basis of their high training skills.

As we have seen, there are no easy answers to this question. On balance, however, I tend to believe that people have specialised skills and well taught in their specific fields can work at their place of interest or wherever they are comfortable.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You present both views and give a clear preference in the conclusion: professionals should be able to work where they feel comfortable. However, the discussion is only partly developed, which limits the response. The first view is introduced as having “benefits,” but the argument is incomplete and does not explain why a country might require graduates to remain, such as recovering the cost of training or addressing staff shortages. The second view is supported with the example of Indian doctors moving abroad, but the example is general and its relevance is not explained in detail. Your position is clearest at the end rather than being established and maintained throughout. Develop each side with a specific reason and explain how your example supports your opinion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a concluding opinion. Transitions such as “On one side,” “On the other hand,” and “On balance” help readers follow the overall direction. However, some links are mechanical, and the progression within paragraphs is not always clear. For example, the first body paragraph moves from adapting to the environment to having connections and then to finding work, without showing how these points build a single argument. The phrase “the benefits of considerably outweigh its disadvantages” also leaves the comparison unclear. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each supporting point explicitly to the paragraph’s main claim; ensure references such as “this question” and “they” have clear antecedents.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “professionals,” “specialised skills,” “internships,” and “educational skills,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There are also attempts to use more formal expressions, such as “make the opposing case.” However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or awkward, which makes parts of the argument difficult to interpret. Examples include “where they were practised,” “high training skills,” and “better enough to adjust.” Spelling errors such as “arguement” also reduce accuracy. Aim for natural combinations and precise terms—for instance, “trained in” rather than “practised” for education, and “highly qualified” rather than “high training skills.” Proofreading for spelling and repeated words would further improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “because” and “who,” and most of the overall meaning can be followed. However, there are several errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “One of the most controversial issue” needs plural agreement, while “working in the same country of education have benefits” has a subject–verb agreement problem. In “trained person are,” the article and verb form do not agree with the singular noun. The opening also repeats “this” and contains an awkwardly constructed sentence. Practise checking each sentence’s subject and verb, and use articles consistently. Breaking longer sentences into clearer units will help you retain complex structures while improving accuracy.

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