Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

Students should get a chance to study abraod during there undergraduate courses or for a work replacent for a certain period of time. I totally agree with this view.

Students studying abroad for a period of time will help them grow postively and groom the students. They can meet new people make new connections and can build good relations with other people from different cultures aswell. They can learn new culture can know about different religion and believes that can broadened their mind and the way they think. New places new teachers new teaching techniques can impact the students and how they learn. For work replacement they can also get a chance to earn more and can learn about international operations and how they operate. Meeting and getting new and fresh ideas can benefit them in future if they want to start their own business.

On the other hand there are some disadvantages such as moving to a new place even for a certain period of time you will still be a minority there.You will have to learn their langauge to reduce the communication barrier between you and them.Learning about thier rules and regulations and working according to it sometimes can be confusing.

In my conclusion I would say that there are for sure disadvantages but the advantages outweigh them in most of the areas. For example a student from Pakistan moves to germany for some time they can earn more because of the currency exchange rate,the teachers there are better than here,new area and people can change and improve their mindset.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address the question and state a clear position: “I totally agree” and later conclude that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Relevant benefits include cultural understanding, new connections, different teaching methods and workplace experience; you also acknowledge challenges such as communication and adapting to local rules. However, several points are asserted rather than explained. For example, the claim that students can “earn more” through a placement is not clearly linked to studying abroad, and the final Pakistan–Germany example relies on broad claims about currency and teaching quality. Develop fewer points with specific explanations or examples, and make the comparison between benefits and drawbacks more explicit. This would make the argument more fully supported and balanced.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on advantages, a paragraph on disadvantages and a conclusion. The contrast marker “On the other hand” helps signal the shift in argument, and the conclusion returns to your position. Within paragraphs, however, ideas are often placed next to one another without showing their relationship. The advantages paragraph moves quickly from meeting people to religion, teaching methods, earnings and business ideas. Some linking is also mechanical, while references such as “it” in “working according to it” are not fully clear. Group related points and use linking phrases to explain cause, result or contrast, rather than simply listing ideas. This would make progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “communication barrier,” “international operations,” “currency exchange rate” and “broadened their mind,” which helps convey the topic. However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, and some expressions are imprecise or unnatural: “work replacement” appears to mean a work placement, while “grow positively” and “fresh ideas” do not express your meaning precisely. There are also repeated general words such as “new,” “people” and “learn.” Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling carefully; more precise phrases would make your ideas clearer and more natural. The meaning is generally understandable, but these inaccuracies limit the control and flexibility of your vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including “They can learn new culture… that can broadened their mind” and the conditional example beginning “if they want to start their own business.” However, errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms are frequent enough to affect clarity. For instance, “they can learn new culture” needs an article or plural form, “that can broadened” has an incorrect verb form, and “there are for sure disadvantages” has an awkward sentence structure. Several sentences also run ideas together without clear punctuation, as in “They can meet new people make new connections.” Practise building accurate clauses, checking subject–verb and verb-form choices, and separating complete ideas with appropriate punctuation.

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.