Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-07-31

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 7.0)

All higher education institutes should include a certain period of time in abroad study or employment in their bachelor's programs. There are several advantages and disadvantages of this rule. However, I believe that numbers of advantages are higher than the numbers disadvantages.

Students who have chance to move abroad they can get an exposure of foreign culture. They can learn about the traditions and lifestyles of the residents of that country which can help them to socialize easily in their future. Students can learn foreign language. It is a chance for students to be self dependent. When they are away from home and do their chores themselves it will develop a sense of responsibility in them. They can also avail and explore the business and employment opportunities during their stay. For instance, my cousin went to USA in a student exchange program. He lived their for a semester. During his stay he observed that sportswear items were very expensive there so he started to import sportwear items from Sialkot. He earned a lot of money from this business

There are also some drawbacks to send students to abroad for study or work for a period of time. Firstly it would be very costly for institutions. Accommodation and air tickets are quiet expensive. So it will be very challenging for students and the universities to manage the funds. Secondly, it would be very difficult for students to live without parents and siblings. So they can suffer from home sickness. Also they could face cultural differences and language barrier during their stay.

I conclude that spent a period of time in studying or working abroad have more benefits than drawbacks so it would be good to spent time in abroad.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing both advantages and disadvantages. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. Ideas are relevant, such as cultural exposure and financial costs, though some points, like the cousin's business example, are slightly anecdotal and could be more generalized to better fit an academic essay. The development is sufficient, but the conclusion is somewhat repetitive and lacks a summary of the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that the arguments are balanced with more sophisticated analysis rather than simple lists of benefits and drawbacks.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for pros and cons, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'However', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. There is a clear progression of ideas, but the referencing is occasionally slightly awkward, such as in the sentence 'Students who have chance to move abroad they can get...'. Improving the flow between sentences and using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'exposure' and 'self-dependent', but there are also persistent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'in abroad study' (should be 'studying abroad') and 'quiet expensive' (should be 'quite'). The repetition of basic words like 'advantages' and 'disadvantages' limits the range. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensuring correct word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the USA', 'the numbers disadvantages') and prepositions ('lived their' instead of 'lived there'). Subject-verb agreement and sentence construction issues, such as 'Students who have chance to move abroad they can get...', indicate a lack of control over complex structures. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be highly beneficial.

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