Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

All university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement.

Do you think the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

University should involve cources for undergraduate students to spent a period of time doing a workplacement and studying abroad .i agree with the view that in university cources should be added dor work placement and studying abroad it can inhance problem solving skills but at the same time for some students who may fell homesickness , anxiety which can cause serious problem for particular students.

Being in the university and doing a work placement can have several benefits for students , it can give personal growth and carrier growth . it can also provide professional skills . for example studying in abroad can enhance communication skills and cross culture of different countries although students become responsible and serious about their further studies and future infact it also improve problem solving skills ehich also help them in future . moreover it also help to maintain balanace between work life and study , studying in aborad or having internship while study can upgarde personal ability , become indepent and also fell confident .

The major disadvantage for studnets , the biggest drawback is financial strain , students who are not capable of travel,housing in abroad , tution fee differences and living coast are become a heavy burden for students and their family. second drawback is personal stress and cultural differences which make them seems apart. for example ,someone who make planning to move abroad can find many things difficult such as job markets , household expences , and home accomodation and sometimes the face racism which become a major biggest issue for some students and they started felling anxious and stressed because of that they face mental health issues and anxiety .

To conclude, the studying abroad and doing work placement should be added but they should provided them a choice so that they can choose the appropriate cources as their convienence so disadvantage outweight their advantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both the benefits and drawbacks and give a position: you support including these experiences, while concluding that students should have a choice. Relevant benefits include personal and career growth, communication, and problem-solving skills; drawbacks include financial pressure, cultural differences, and anxiety. However, the position is not fully consistent: the opening says you agree that courses should include these experiences, whereas the conclusion argues they should be optional. The response also does not clearly judge whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, which is the central question. Several points, such as improved work-life balance and the effects of racism, are mentioned but not explained in enough detail. State your comparative judgement clearly and develop a few key reasons with specific examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, a paragraph on benefits, a paragraph on drawbacks, and a conclusion. This helps the reader identify the main areas of discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear because many ideas are joined in long sequences, particularly in the benefits paragraph. Linking expressions such as “moreover,” “for example,” and “second drawback” provide some signposting, but connections between individual claims are not always clear, and “although” does not express the intended relationship in its sentence. The conclusion also introduces the idea of making participation optional without preparing for it earlier. Use shorter, more focused paragraphs and connect each example directly to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “personal growth,” “professional skills,” “financial strain,” “cultural differences,” and “mental health issues.” These choices show an effort to discuss both practical and emotional consequences. However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors make parts of the response difficult to read, such as “cources,” “carrier growth,” “living coast,” and “cross culture.” Some phrases are also unnatural, including “make them seems apart” and “maintain balanace between work life and study.” Aim to learn accurate topic-related collocations and check spelling carefully. More precise expressions would help you explain the effects of placements and overseas study without relying on repeated general terms such as “problem” and “students.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences with reasons and examples, but complex sentences are often difficult to control. Errors in verb forms and agreement appear in phrases such as “it also improve problem solving skills” and “they should provided them a choice.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also inconsistent: the opening runs several ideas together, and the final sentence lacks clear grammatical structure. Articles and prepositions are sometimes missing or incorrectly used, which can make relationships between ideas unclear. Practise building accurate sentences with one main clause and a clearly formed supporting clause, then check subject–verb agreement, verb forms, and punctuation. Greater control of these patterns would make your meaning easier to follow.

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