Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Some individuals believe that all university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing work placement. Although this method has certain disadvantages, such as waste of time for research students and less focus on curriculum, I believe that the advantages in terms of better job placement and foreign education exposure outweigh the disadvantages.

One of the major advantages is better job placements. Most of the students who join college have a final goal of getting a job in reputed companies, and this can be achieved if enough time is spent on it. For example, if a student gets this benefit from university, then he or she can get better job offerings. Another benefit is getting knowledge of foreign education. This is beneficial for students who want to pursue a master's degree from a foreign university. For instance, if an individual get knowledge of foreign universities through abroad studies of curriculum, then he or she can easily go abroad for studies.

However, there are certain drawbacks to consider. The biggest concern is less amount of time spent on the college curriculum. In contrast, if a university spend a period of time on the extra activities, then it will have to reduce some time from their teaching curriculum. This will create a lack of knowledge for students. Additionally, it will be considered a waste of time for an individual who wants to go in a research field. For students who aims to go in research area, requires a great understanding of their field, which will lack behind if curriculum is updated

In conclusion, making changes in undergraduate courses has certain disadvantages in terms of waste of time and less focus on field knowledge, its benefits, such as better job placement and knowledge of foreign education, are more significant. I believe that the advantages of this change clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. The arguments regarding job prospects and international exposure are relevant, though the development of these points is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the discussion on 'job placements' is a bit thin, relying on general statements rather than specific, well-supported examples. The counter-argument regarding research students is a good inclusion, but it could have been more effectively integrated to strengthen the overall balance of the essay. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully extended with more concrete detail or logical explanation rather than restating the main idea.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the advantages and disadvantages. Cohesive devices such as 'One of the major advantages', 'Another benefit', and 'However' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the flow between some sentences is slightly mechanical, and there is occasional repetition of phrasing (e.g., 'disadvantages' and 'advantages' are repeated frequently). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'curriculum', 'undergraduate courses', and 'foreign education exposure'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural collocations or word choices, such as 'get knowledge of foreign universities' or 'lack behind'. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and collocations to convey ideas with greater sophistication and accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('if an individual get knowledge', 'if a university spend', 'For students who aims') and minor errors in article usage or prepositional phrases ('go in a research field'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring greater accuracy in basic grammar would be beneficial.

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