Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Unanimously ,the phenomena of undergraduate courses including a period of time spent studying abroad is ubiquitious across the globe due to plethora of merits . However it is agreed that the de-merits connected to doing a work placement abroad after undergraduate courses cannot be ignored . Majority of the students support this and others oppose . In my further paragraphs the advantages and disadvantages of time spent studying abroad shall be elucidated .

On one hand initiating with the pros of the same, the first and the foremost key benefit is students gain a good amount of knowledge and it helps students boost their confidence . For example if universities include doing a work placement then when students willing to apply for undergraduate courses will work more harder to get accepted by a good company and will learn more skills . Another benefit which can be highlighted is the growth of economic of that specific country . To cite an instance once students get good job in a good country which matches their requirements students tend to stay in that country itself . Some people also complete there MBA there and they settle there . So it will definitely increase countries population .

On the other hand ,the darker side of the work placement includes that some students may not be mentally prepared to work there or in some cases students might not be comfortable living there permanent and because of this students might not choose that country . Additionally another drawback which makes it problematic is that some parents agree that students can study abroad but wont agree when they work there specially those parents who can't visit frequently or sometimes it might be students choice to stay in their hometown and work there itself . To Exemplify, parents who have their own business will not agree for students to work there..

To Encapsulate ,neither the pros of doing a work placement undergraduate can be neglected nor its cons i opine that both has its own benefits and the given statement should not be understimated and reinforced in our modern society by the joint efforts of students .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt but lacks a clear, consistent position. While you mention both sides, you do not explicitly state whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in the introduction or conclusion. The ideas are somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the argument regarding 'economic growth' and 'population increase' is not clearly linked to the benefits of studying abroad for the individual student. The conclusion is vague and does not summarize your stance effectively. To improve, ensure your position is clearly stated in the introduction and maintained throughout the essay, with each paragraph providing a clear, supported argument that directly answers the 'outweigh' question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. Transitions are often mechanical or misused, such as 'initiating with the pros of the same' and 'the darker side of the work placement'. The use of cohesive devices is sometimes repetitive or awkward, which hinders the flow of ideas. For example, the transition between the benefits of studying abroad and the economic impact is abrupt. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects back to the main argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an attempt to use a wider range of vocabulary, such as 'ubiquitous', 'plethora', and 'elucidated'. However, there are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'growth of economic' instead of 'economic growth', 'work more harder' (grammatical error affecting lexical accuracy), and 'living there permanent'. Some vocabulary is used incorrectly or in an unnatural way, which occasionally impedes the reader's understanding. Focus on learning the correct collocations for the words you choose and ensure you are using them in the right context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You have frequent errors in punctuation (e.g., unnecessary spaces before commas), subject-verb agreement, and word forms (e.g., 'work more harder', 'there' instead of 'their'). These errors are noticeable and occur throughout the text. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical rules and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed correctly.

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

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