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)

Every bachelor-level studies should have certain amount of time to study in foreign country and gain in work experience. While the advantages are significant, making it mandatory for all students has serious drawback.

On the hand, receiving education in different region presents a number of noticeable disadvantages. University tuition fee is increasing every year, creating unfavorable situation for many families, if educational systems were to add study abroad program it will be aggravate the issue even further. Also, in many fields work experience is essential after graduating, but not safe enough to say every. It can be considered not so useful in professions such as theoretical physics, astronomy, pure mathematics, philosophy.

On the other hand, benefits of studying out of your country clearly outweigh the detriments. After graduating students tend to have rough time dealing with issues due to being dependent on their parents for long time . Letting them to study abroad gives them opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and be independent. As mentioned before , most of the employers appreciate experienced employee and it's common sense for many professions. Having knowledge of working will play key role when you are searching for workplace. It wont be considered as false to say that employers favors workers with practical exposure rather than one without.

In conclusion, while making international study or work placement compulsory for every bachelor's degree can cause financial strain and adds little value to purely theoretical fields, the overall benefits are far more substantial.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you acknowledge financial and subject-specific drawbacks, but conclude that the benefits are greater. You address both study abroad and work placements, and the examples of theoretical physics, astronomy and philosophy make the counterargument relevant. The conclusion also effectively brings the main points together. This meets the task well, though some ideas are less fully developed than others. For example, the claim that graduates struggle because they have depended on their parents is broad and would be more convincing with a specific explanation or example. The financial concern is relevant, but you could clarify who would bear the extra costs and how universities might reduce them. More developed support would make the argument more persuasive and complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on disadvantages, one on advantages, and a conclusion. The contrast between the two main paragraphs is easy to follow, and phrases such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” signal the direction of the argument. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. “On the hand” is incomplete, and “As mentioned before” does not clearly connect the point about employers to the earlier discussion of fields where placements may be less useful. The paragraph on advantages also moves quickly from independence to employers’ preferences without fully linking these ideas. Use more precise referencing and add transitions that explain how each point supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “financial strain,” “comfort zone,” “practical exposure” and “theoretical fields.” These choices help communicate the main argument, and the meaning is generally clear. There are, however, some inaccurate or unnatural word choices and collocations, such as “gain in work experience,” “detriments,” “knowledge of working” and “searching for workplace.” “False” in “not be considered as false to say” also does not express the intended meaning naturally. Aim for more precise academic phrasing and check common word partnerships. For instance, describe gaining work experience, refer to disadvantages, and say that practical experience can improve a graduate’s employment prospects.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a conditional structure in “if educational systems were to add study abroad program” and a contrast clause beginning “while.” The overall meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors occur across the response. Examples include “Every bachelor-level studies,” “it will be aggravate,” and “employers favors,” which show problems with agreement and verb forms. Articles and sentence construction also need attention, as in “gives them opportunity” and “not safe enough to say every.” Punctuation spacing is inconsistent, and the opening sentence would benefit from a more accurate subject and verb structure. Review agreement, articles and verb patterns, then proofread each sentence while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

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