Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-14

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)

People argue that some professionals such as doctors and engineers should work in their mother countries where they took their academic studies and training. While others believe that they have the right to work abroad if they want to. This essay agrees with the former idea because professionals have the choice to seek better opportunities and life conditions in other countries rather their mother one.

Some people argue that doctors, engineers and workers from other fields have to work in the country where they took their training because they should invest their efforts for the favor of the nation's interest. In addition, people believe that these professionals must provide their services and expertise in return of the training and investment provided by the homeland. In this sense, both the country and the community are expecting more endeavours from doctors or engineers from their home country, and they believe that the country's own professionals would work for the common good of the citizens. As a result, countries tend to maintain and keep their own workers because of the investment they made to train them.

On the other hand, I believe that professionals should be free to look for better oppotunities in different countries besides the country where they did their studies. Going abroad is considered an inevitable choice for doctors, engineers, and teachers who have high life standards. Therefore, workers from different fields should be more interested in seeking a high salary, free accomodation, and both professional and personal benefits they will get from their work. For example, Moroccan ESL teachers seek opportuinities in China or Vietnam because of the higher salary and benefits provided, while doctors and engineers who did their training in Morocco work in Europe and Canada for the same reasons.

In conclusion, professionals have two choices after finishing their training, either to work on their home countries or to go abroad. In my opinion, workers should be free to work in another country if they wish in order to seek opportunities and benefits that they match their professional and personal preferences.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response discusses both positions and gives a clear preference for allowing professionals to work abroad. The first body paragraph explains the argument for serving the country that funded training, while the second gives reasons for migration and a relevant example involving Moroccan teachers, doctors and engineers. However, the opening is confusing: it says the essay agrees with the former view, then gives reasons supporting the latter. The conclusion clarifies the writer’s actual opinion, but the position should be consistent from the introduction onward. Some points also need fuller explanation—for example, the claim that professionals have “high life standards” does not clearly explain why working abroad is inevitable. Develop the consequences and support each main reason more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Its ideas are generally grouped appropriately, and signposts such as “In addition,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion. However, progression is weakened by the contradiction between the introduction’s stated agreement with the former view and the later support for freedom to work abroad. Some linking is also mechanical, with repeated references to “professionals,” “workers,” and “the country,” and several sentences in the first body paragraph repeat the idea that the home country expects service in return for training. Clarify the position early, reduce repetition, and use references and transitions that show how each point develops the previous one.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “expertise,” “investment,” “common good,” “salary,” and “professional and personal benefits.” These choices make the main ideas understandable, and the example is specific. However, several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “oppotunities,” “opportuinities,” and “accomodation.” Some phrases are also unnatural or imprecise: “for the favor of the nation's interest,” “in return of the training,” and “workers who have high life standards.” Aim for accurate spelling and more natural collocations, such as “in the national interest,” “in return for their training,” and “people seeking a higher standard of living.” This would make the argument clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The essay attempts a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “because,” “while,” and “who,” and most of the meaning remains understandable. However, errors occur in sentence construction and grammatical patterns. The opening “While others believe…” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence, and “This essay agrees with the former idea because…” creates a confusing relationship between the stated position and its reason. Other examples include “in return of the training,” “work on their home countries,” and “benefits that they match,” where the grammatical patterns are not controlled. Review complete sentence formation, prepositions in common structures, and clause relationships. More accurate control of these patterns would make the argument easier to follow.

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