Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31
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)
It is argued by many that the qualified personnel should be obliged to practice in their home country, contribute to the local economy whereas others believe that they should have the freedom to pursue global career opportunities. This essay is going to discuss both sides and give my opinion.
On the one hand it is believed that if specialists leave the country then there would be a shortage of skilled manpower and our countries path to development would be blocked. For instance, if doctors migrate to the other countries like USA, Korea, etc then the hospitals in our country would face problems like staff shortage, directly undermining the public health. Therefore, we should all we can to let them stay in their own home and provide services.
On the other hand, many argues that they should have their own free will about their career. Forcing individuals to work under rules and regulation might cause them to lose motivation and inspiration. In addition, allowing them to migrate to another country enables them to acquire wide range of knowledge and information and helps them to build their career more efficiently and productively. For instance, many successful people earn experiences and use them to develop their country after returning to their home.
In my opinion, while it is reasonable for some people to think about their country and want them to return. Instead governments should enforce a law where after 2 or 3 years they can migrate according to their own will.
In conclusion, if skilled manpower leaves the country then there will be shortage of qualified specialist but they should also be allowed to do what their heart wants.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the 'shortage of skilled manpower' is relevant but could be supported with more nuanced analysis rather than just mentioning hospitals. The opinion provided in the third paragraph is a bit abrupt and lacks a strong justification for the specific '2 or 3 years' compromise. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more detailed reasoning or specific, well-integrated examples that clearly link back to the prompt's core tension between national duty and individual freedom.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel a bit repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, but the connection between the final opinion paragraph and the conclusion is slightly disjointed. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring smoother transitions between the body paragraphs and the conclusion would enhance the overall flow and logical progression of the argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'qualified personnel', 'undermining', and 'efficiently and productively'. However, there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'our countries path' (should be 'country's') and 'many argues' (should be 'many argue'). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but more precise collocations and a wider variety of academic vocabulary would be needed to move into the higher bands. The current level is functional but lacks the sophistication required for a band 7 or above.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include 'many argues' (subject-verb agreement), 'our countries path' (possessive error), and 'we should all we can' (missing verb 'do'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with missing commas after introductory phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation will significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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