Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-05

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)

Many people believe that university students should undergo a foreign exposure either for completing a course or to internship. While this approach may present certain challenges. I believe that its benefits outweigh disadvantages because it equips students with practical skill and broaden their perspective.

The biggest advantage of this approach is that it gives practical exposure to students and allows them to get a hands-on experience of their skills. Learning theory in a classroom may not enough be, a practical implementation of acquired skill is an important step toward preparing students for their professional lives. Their communication skills are polished, and they become familiar with work environments. As a result, graduates are ready to make their presence in the competitive job market. Another benefit is that students get the opportunity of personal growth particularly by travelling abroad. This gives students chance to meet and interact with people of other cultures, language and traditions. Even the learning techniques can vary in different countries. Such exposures make students more adaptable and independent. Such experiences not only enrich students academically but also personally by broadening their vision.

Admittedly, making such programs compulsory could create problems. Living and studying abroad needs ample funds which could be not affordable for all the students. Many students prefer studying in their country as they are working alongside their studies or have family responsibilities. Consequently, enforcing a universal requirement may put families under unwanted stress. Nevertheless, these issues can be addressed by government-funded scholarships, partnership between universities and employers.

In conclusion, studying abroad or doing an international work placement could be a great advantage for students building their practical skills but at the same time can be a financial challenge for some students. Governments can play their part to ensure that every student get such opportunities.

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 arguments regarding practical skill development and personal growth are relevant and well-supported. The counter-argument regarding financial constraints is also addressed with potential solutions, showing a balanced approach. However, the development of ideas could be slightly more detailed to reach the highest band; for example, the link between 'travelling abroad' and 'learning techniques' is mentioned but not fully explored. Overall, the response is well-focused and maintains a clear position throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'As a result', 'Another benefit', and 'Nevertheless' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the advantages from the disadvantages, which helps the reader navigate the argument. The use of referencing is generally clear, contributing to the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey ideas with precision. There is an attempt to use less common items such as 'hands-on experience', 'competitive job market', and 'universal requirement'. While the range is adequate, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'foreign exposure' (which sounds slightly unnatural) and 'not enough be' (a syntax error). The student demonstrates a good grasp of topic-specific vocabulary related to education and employment. To improve, the student should focus on more natural collocations and avoid slightly awkward phrasing to achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, but some grammatical slips persist, such as 'could be not affordable' (should be 'might not be affordable') and 'get such opportunities' (should be 'gets'). Punctuation is generally accurate, though there is a sentence fragment in the introduction: 'While this approach may present certain challenges. I believe...'. Despite these errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the student demonstrates a reasonable command of complex structures. Increasing the variety of complex sentence forms and proofreading for minor syntax errors would improve the score.

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