Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-18

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 7.5)

On the one hand, requiring professionals to work in the country where they trained can clearly help the local economy. In many places, university education—especially in medicine and engineering—is heavily subsidised by taxpayers. From this perspective, graduates have a moral obligation to give something back to the society that paid for their learning. This argument becomes even stronger in developing countries, which often face serious shortages of doctors and engineers. When these skilled workers leave soon after qualifying, public health services suffer and important infrastructure projects can stall or slow down.

On the other hand, people should have the freedom to choose where they build their careers. Limiting where someone can work based on where they studied feels like a restriction on basic personal liberty. In reality, many professionals emigrate because other countries offer much higher salaries, more advanced research facilities, and better overall living standards. For instance, it’s common for engineers to move to global technology hubs like Silicon Valley, where the scale of opportunity and innovation simply doesn’t exist in their home countries. If they are forced to stay against their will, they may become resentful, less motivated, and ultimately less productive.

In my view, professionals should be free to work wherever they wish. Governments cannot solve talent shortages by locking people in; they need to make staying an attractive choice. That means investing in better salaries, modern workplaces, clear career paths, and supportive research environments. When local conditions improve, many skilled citizens will choose to remain or return on their own, contributing more willingly and effectively to national development.

In conclusion, while a country’s growth is important, it should not come at the cost of individual freedom. The smarter strategy is to attract and retain talent through positive ways,

not through restrictions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the view that professionals should work where they trained and the view that they should have freedom to move, while also providing a clear, well-supported personal opinion. The position is well-developed throughout the response. In the first body paragraph, the economic and societal arguments regarding taxpayer subsidies and shortages in developing countries are articulated clearly. The second body paragraph logically examines personal liberty and global incentives. The conclusion and the final body paragraph seamlessly integrate the writer's stance. Ideas are thoroughly extended with relevant examples, such as engineering professionals moving to Silicon Valley, fulfilling the Band 8 criteria for fully addressing all parts of the task with well-developed ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The essay is divided into appropriate paragraphs, each with a distinct focus: introduction, view one, view two, personal opinion, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively, such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In my view,' guiding the reader smoothly through the arguments. Referencing is clear and unambiguous throughout the text. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, satisfying the Band 8 descriptor where ideas are logically sequenced and all aspects of cohesion are well-managed.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary suitable for an academic discussion. Less common items such as 'subsidised', 'moral obligation', 'infrastructure projects', 'personal liberty', and 'resentful' are used naturally and accurately. There is skillful handling of collocations and register, with only very occasional minor inaccuracies or common choices. The vocabulary is precise and contributes significantly to the clarity and academic tone of the essay, easily meeting the expectations of a Band 7.5 to 8.0 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writer displays a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. Sentences such as 'When these skilled workers leave soon after qualifying, public health services suffer and important infrastructure projects can stall or slow down' show excellent control over subordination and conditional/temporal clauses. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout. There are only rare, minor slips that do not impede communication. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 8 descriptor, which notes a wide range of structures and predominantly error-free sentences.

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