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)

In a modern education systems, universities are accommodating new methods for education that includes decent amount of practical learning. Some people argue over whether universities should include a period of time spent as internships or studying abroad. In my view advantages of this methods outweigh the disadvantages. The following paragraphs will discuss the reasons behind this with suitable examples.

Inclusion of a practical work in a university curriculum gives exposure to real industry and application of theories learned in classrooms. Allowing students to do internships give chance to get hands on experience of industry grade knowledge and improve practical implementations of subjects by actual implementation. For example, an undergraduate students of a stream computer science does an internship in a software company where they get to learn from a senior person from the field moreover they get to implement solutions in real life with proper guidance. Implementing this type of framework for students benefits in subject understanding finally resulting into pre-qualified for the market conditions. Following traditional framework in a university education does not nurture learners' critical thinking and practical understanding that will result into a gap while going for a job.

Other thing such as studying abroad should also be incorporated by universities for sake of personal and cultural development of an individual as a student. Learning in abroad gives students chances to grow and get familiar with other culture. This also teaches them to manage studies and personal life alone by themselves out of their personal comfort. For instance, taking part in a student exchange program by a university gives them an opportunity to study in a different country, where they can get an international exposure and cultural diversity by interacting and studying with international students. Eventually resulting into overall personal growth and adaptability in different environment by escaping their comfort zone.

In conclusion, giving access to work placements and internships as part of curriculum develop a student's practical understanding and promotes critical thinking while making them part of global education system make them and live out of their comfort space leading into learn and develop in multicultural society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the computer science internship and student exchange programs. However, the development is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the conclusion, which restates points without adding new insight. To reach a higher band, ensure that the discussion of disadvantages is more explicitly acknowledged, even if only to dismiss them, as the prompt asks for a balanced evaluation of the trade-offs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For example', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion'. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'Other thing such as' at the start of the third paragraph. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally imprecise, which makes the flow feel slightly disjointed in places. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'curriculum', 'industry grade', and 'multicultural society'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'decent amount of practical learning' (which is informal) and 'learning in abroad' (grammatically incorrect). The range is sufficient for the task but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding the use of collocations and academic phrases would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'In a modern education systems' (plural/article error), 'undergraduate students of a stream computer science does' (subject-verb agreement), and 'result into' (preposition error). These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To improve, the writer should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and more accurate prepositional phrases to ensure the majority of sentences are error-free.

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

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