Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-29

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)

Here are different perspectives about professionals' work country like someone says that they should work there where they get training and others believe they can go to any other country to do a job even if they got training in their home country. I agree with the second perspective where they say workers can work flexibly at any site. But we will discuss both opinions with the examples.

First of all, we will talk about the persons who think workers should work when they are trained themselves. And to some extent, their thinking is not bad at all. As you know, every country has its own rules and regulations. For example, Pakistan is a country where there are not highly strict laws as Gulf countries have, so when a doctor or engineer goes towards those countries, he or she will face consequences. But it is a one-sided picture. There are drawbacks to it because when you are stuck at one side or area, you will not evolve and this is why they will struggle in the future.

But on the other hand, there is something we also need to talk about, and it is the lack of opportunities and work environment as well. For example, as we know, for better opportunities, professionals from Pakistan, especially young doctors, are moving to other European countries because there is nothing for their future, no salaries, no bonuses, and the environment is also too bad. And this is not just about Pakistan; many developing countries have the same situation. One more example is from the United States of America, where almost half of the professionals are immigrants or non-immigrants, which tells you how important for the USA the immigrants are.

In short, yes, you will face difficulties if you got training from the other side and work in another country, but it is a matter of time. It will take more than 2 years and you will adjust in that environment, and this is why I agree with this.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on professionals working in their training country or moving abroad, and clearly states the writer's opinion in the introduction and conclusion. Ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as mentioning Pakistan, Gulf countries, and the United States. However, the tone is somewhat informal and conversational (e.g., 'As you know', 'not bad at all'), and some arguments tend to over-generalise or lack deeper elaboration. While the prompt is adequately covered to earn a solid score, a higher band requires more fully developed main points and a more formal academic register throughout the essay. Therefore, a band score of 6.0 is appropriate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, dividing the introduction, the two body paragraphs discussing opposing views, and the conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'For example', and 'But on the other hand' are employed to signpost the progression of ideas. However, referencing and transitions are at times mechanical or somewhat repetitive. For instance, the phrase 'For example' is used multiple times in close proximity, and sentences like 'And this is not just about Pakistan' rely on conversational conjunctions to start sentences. Progression is generally clear, but paragraph internal cohesion could be smoother and more sophisticated to reach higher band levels. This aligns well with the descriptors for Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating ideas about professionals, training, rules, and immigration. Words like 'perspective', 'consequences', 'immigrants', and 'environment' are used correctly. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, colloquialisms, and awkward phrasing, such as 'when they are trained themselves', 'goes towards those countries', and 'too bad'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are limited, and the register frequently slips into spoken English rather than academic prose. Spelling is generally accurate, but lexical flexibility is restricted. Consequently, the performance sits comfortably at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures like conditional clauses and relative clauses (e.g., 'where there are not highly strict laws as Gulf countries have'). There are several noticeable grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, such as 'if you got training' (should be 'if you get' or 'have got'), 'work where they get training' (tense agreement), and 'no salaries, no bonuses, and the environment is also too bad'. Punctuation is basic, and run-on sentences appear occasionally. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they recur frequently enough to prevent the essay from achieving a higher band. Thus, a score of 6.0 accurately reflects these grammatical patterns.

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