Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07

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 6.0)

It is often argued by a few individuals that professionals, such as doctors, teachers and engineers should serve the country where they studied their degrees. Meanwhile, others believe that they must have choice to work in a different country, if they want it. However, in my opinion they should work in their own country.

On the one hand, many people think that professional working in other countries is beneficial for some reasons. Firstly, professionals generally get higher salaries, reliable job opportunities, and they usually have flexible conditions for their businesses. As the developed countries have good economy, so they provide these facilities to their qualified professionals. Secondly, by working in another country, they get practical experience and improve their working skills. When they work under qualified seniors, they acquire more knowledge about their field. Thus, it is believed by many people that it is a good option.

On the other hand, I support first argument, professionals should work in the country where they studied for several reasons. Firstly, they can contribute in the economic development of their country. If they serve in their fields, such as doctors in hospitals, engineers in different companies, and teachers in educational institutions, it will definitely improve the progress of these fields. Therefore, it eventually plays a significant role in the economic and overall development of that country. Secondly, a country invests a significant amount of money on the academics of a student, until they become a professional. The government of that country deserves contributions in return, and these contributions are also beneficial for the society of that country.

In conclusion, although working in another country has some advantages, I strongly believe that professionals should work in their own country because it is favourable for their country in various manners and it is their ethical duty to serve their society in return.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, presenting both sides of the argument and clearly stating a personal position. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. For instance, the argument regarding the economic return on government investment in education is a strong, logical point. However, the development could be more sophisticated; some points, such as 'reliable job opportunities', are mentioned but not fully explored. The position is consistent throughout the essay, meeting the requirements for a Band 7 level of task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' helps guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there is occasional awkwardness in referencing, such as 'I support first argument'. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the flow between sentences could be smoother to reach the higher band descriptors. Overall, the structure is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is some use of topic-specific vocabulary like 'economic development', 'qualified professionals', and 'ethical duty'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural collocations, such as 'served the country where they studied their degrees' instead of 'served the country where they completed their degrees'. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim for more precise and varied vocabulary to convey nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are recurring grammatical errors, such as 'professional working in other countries' (should be 'professionals working') and 'contribute in the economic development' (should be 'contribute to'). There are also minor punctuation and article usage errors throughout. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more consistent control over complex structures to reach the Band 7 level.

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

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