Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-13

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 6.0)

A work placement or studying abroad during undergraduate courses is very helpful for the students as that will help them gain practical knowledge and get international exposure, the students will be well prepared beforehand for the competition or challenges that they will face in the future but it can also have some disadvantages.

The students will learn a lot when they're studying abroad as it'll help them experience new culture, diversity, And they understand how life works, rather than being dependent on someone, they'll try to figure it out themselves. but the students are really young in the undergraduate courses, So they might not be able to cope up with the challenges they face or they can even get into bad influence while being abroad.

Work placement will help students understand how companies operate and how their seniors handle everything, They might even acquire new skills while on a professional placement. It can also help them in the future as it'll add value to their resume and help them be ahead of their competitors in the job market but even a work placement has its own disadvantages, the students might feel intimidated as he won't understand how the company operates or what his role might be or the other professionals might look down on him as they're just students.

To conclude, I would like to add that, Yes, the advantages of a work placement or studying abroad can outweigh the disadvantages but only if the student is working efficiently and not going on the wrong path.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both options in the prompt and give a clear overall view: placements and overseas study are beneficial, and their advantages can outweigh the disadvantages. Relevant points include gaining cultural experience, becoming more independent, learning how companies operate, and improving a résumé. However, some ideas are asserted rather than explained. For example, the risk of students coming under a “bad influence” is not illustrated, and the concern that colleagues may “look down on” students is not developed. Your conclusion also makes the benefits conditional on students “working efficiently” and avoiding the “wrong path,” without explaining how this affects the overall comparison. Develop fewer points with specific examples and a clearer weighing of the benefits against the risks.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs on overseas study and work placements, and a conclusion. This makes the main ideas easy to identify. You also use basic linking expressions such as “but,” “as,” and “To conclude” to show contrast and sequence. However, some connections feel mechanical, and long sentences join several ideas without clear boundaries. For instance, the opening sentence combines benefits and a contrast in one extended structure, while the second paragraph moves from cultural learning to independence and then to risks without enough signposting. Capitalisation after full stops is also inconsistent, which interrupts the flow. Use clearer sentence boundaries and more precise transitions to show how each example supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary for the topic, including “practical knowledge,” “international exposure,” “professional placement,” and “job market.” These phrases help communicate the main points, and the meaning is generally clear. However, some wording is repetitive or imprecise, such as repeated uses of “help,” “students,” and “disadvantages.” A few expressions are not natural in this context: “cope up with” and “get into bad influence” weaken the accuracy of your message, while “add value to their resume” could be expressed more precisely. Aim to vary common words and check collocations, especially when describing risks and career benefits. More precise vocabulary would make your argument sound more controlled and academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “as,” “but,” and “while,” and your meaning is usually understandable. Some sentences, however, contain several clauses joined by commas, as in the opening, making the structure difficult to control. There are also errors in agreement and reference: “the students … he won’t understand” shifts from plural to singular, and “they’re just students” does not clearly identify who may look down on them. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including lowercase “but” after a full stop and unnecessary capitals such as “And” and “So.” Use shorter, well-punctuated sentences where needed, and check pronouns and clause boundaries to improve accuracy.

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

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