Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-17

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 6.5)

It is often argued that professionals, such as doctors and engineers, should be required to work in the country where they received their training, while many other individuals argue that they should have freedom to work abroad. This essay will discuss both views before presenting my own opinion.

On the one hand, some people believe that professionals should work in their home country because the government may have invested a significant amount of money in their education and training. Therefore, they should contribute to the development of the country that helped them gain their qualifications. For instance, doctors can serve public at local hospitals and engineers can work on infrastructure such as constructing roads. Furthermore, local professionals are often more familier with the needs and circumstances of their communities. For instance, doctors who receive their training in their country may have a better understanding of common health problems, patients' lifestyles and cultural beliefs. This understanding can help them communicate effectively with patients and provide more suitable treatment.

On the other hand, I believe professionals should be free to choose where they want to work. Other countries may offer better salaries, improved working conditions and more opportunities for career development. By working abroad, professionals can gain international experience and learn advanced techniques. In addition, they have the right to make decisions about their own careers and futures. Rather than forcing skilled workers to stay in their own country, the governmet should improve salaries and working conditions to encourage them to remain. Professionals who work abroad may also support their families financially and share their knowledge with their home country in the future.

In conclusion, professionals can make valuable contributions to the countries where they were trained. Nevertheless, I believe that governments should focus on creating better job opportunities at home instead of restricting their career choices.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses both views and gives a clear opinion: the first main paragraph explains why trained professionals might serve their home country, while the second argues for freedom of choice and recommends improving domestic conditions. Relevant support includes public investment in training, community knowledge, career opportunities, and financial support for families. The conclusion reinforces the writer’s position. However, some points are more fully developed than others: the benefits of local knowledge are explained with specific examples, whereas the claim that professionals may share knowledge with their home country later is not expanded. To strengthen the response, explain how this transfer might happen or add a concrete example, and develop the consequences of requiring professionals to stay. (17 words copied from the task prompt were not counted.)

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion that follows logically from the discussion. Linking phrases such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the progression easy to follow. Within paragraphs, ideas generally move from a claim to an explanation or example. Some connections are a little mechanical, however, and “For instance” is repeated in the first body paragraph. The relationship between the final point about supporting families and sharing knowledge with the home country could also be made clearer. Use a wider range of natural transitions and make the links between supporting points more explicit to improve the flow further.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for discussing the topic and includes useful phrases such as “career development,” “infrastructure,” “cultural beliefs,” and “working conditions.” The writer also uses relevant topic language consistently, so the meaning remains clear. However, the range is not always precise or natural: “serve public at local hospitals” needs a more suitable expression, and “familier” and “governmet” are spelling errors. Some wording, including “better salaries” and “work abroad,” is repeated or fairly general. Aim for more precise collocations and check spelling carefully; for example, describe professionals as serving “the public” and use a more specific phrase for the opportunities available overseas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses such as “because the government may have invested…” and “Rather than forcing skilled workers to stay…”. Most sentences are clear, and the range helps explain causes, examples, and contrasts. Some grammatical errors remain, but they rarely interfere with understanding. For example, “serve public at local hospitals” is missing an article before “public,” and “the country that helped them gain their qualifications” could be expressed more precisely with a clearer grammatical relationship. Review article use and sentence phrasing, while continuing to use complex structures. Greater consistency in producing accurate sentences would make the argument more polished.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.