Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-03

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)

Education plays a vital role in everyone's lives. It helps to develop the knowledge, skills and guidance needed for their future. All universities should include undergraduate courses for students to study in other countries or doing a work placements as well. Although there may be some drawbacks to this approach, I believe that the benefits are far greater.

To begin with, study in other countries is more beneficial for students to learn practical skills and experience. Secondly, it gives more opportunities to gain their knowledge. Moreover, working in a professional environment, students can learn their communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Also, studying in other countries also allows them to experience different cultures, traditions and foods. People can learn new languages and it helps them in their daily life for conversations, globalizations, and personal relationships. They build network and make professional connections. Additionally, students improve future career. Employment experience helps them work better job after graduation. For example, a student who completes an internship during university may have a better understanding of their chosen profession and a stronger advantage.

However, learning in foreign countries have several disadvantages. People some time faces challenges related to finance. Studying and working in foreign countries its quit challenging for students. Travel, accommodation, and living expenses may be too expensive. In addition, some programs are not easily available for students during mid years. For instance, a student from a low-income family may struggle to afford the costs of travelling abroad, accommodation, and daily expenses.

In conclusion, I think learning in abord is good for students to learn new skills and working with experience people so they can gain more skills. They can get more opportunities, personal benefits and also improve their personal and professional skill as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages, maintaining a clear position throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, while you mention 'communication' and 'teamwork' as benefits, these points are not fully extended with specific examples or logical depth. The conclusion is repetitive and does not effectively synthesize the arguments presented in the body paragraphs. To reach a higher band, ensure that each main point is supported by a clear, illustrative example or a logical explanation of 'why' or 'how' the benefit occurs, rather than simply listing concepts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use basic cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'However' to signal transitions. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'People some time faces...'). The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow, but the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive structure of sentences limit the coherence. To improve, try to vary your transition signals and ensure that each sentence logically follows the previous one to create a smoother, more cohesive argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on common, repetitive terms such as 'good', 'skills', and 'learn'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'learning in abord' (should be 'studying abroad') and 'work better job' (should be 'get a better job'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of less common lexical items and the presence of word-choice errors prevent a higher score. Focus on learning collocations and using more precise academic vocabulary to express your ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that, while not impeding communication, are noticeable. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('learning in foreign countries have', 'People some time faces') and incorrect word forms ('doing a work placements'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence variety is limited. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and proofreading for basic errors. Incorporating a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses or relative clauses, would also help demonstrate better grammatical control.

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