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)

Nowadays, many universities undergraduate courses should need to include a certain period of time in order to console students to spent their time studying abroad or to do some some at a work placement. While this trend offers several advantages , it also come with certain disadvantages too. This essay will discuss both sides before reaching a conclusion.

On the one hand, students/learners should be allowed to give certain amount of time to study abroad or at least having a percent time to do their job. One major advantage is that a learner can study abroad about their field and can gain some new experience of it. Secondly, it will open raw mind for students and they also can get new level of experience too. Moreover, the pupils who do not have enough funds or expenses to cover their undergraduate courses can also do a job at a work placement. It will gain them a new level of experience and they can learn a whole lot new things in their practical life.

On the other hand, it has some benefits but it also have some draw backs too. Students will not going to focus in their main undergraduate course rather they will put more focus on doing their job or studying abroad that will lead to not have success their education. They will prioritize more other things rather than their education which will lead to a disruption in their education but will also cause negative effect in their practical life to.

In conclusion, although this idea have various advantages such as collecting funds or to gain a new experience but its disadvantages can not be completely be ignored too. Overall, a balance preference will be best for their future growth.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is limited and somewhat repetitive. For instance, the argument regarding 'collecting funds' is mentioned but not fully explained in terms of how a work placement facilitates this. The position is clear, but the supporting points lack depth and specific examples, relying on general statements like 'learn a whole lot new things'. To reach a higher band, you should provide more concrete examples or logical explanations for your claims rather than repeating the same points in different ways.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and some transitions are awkward, such as 'a balance preference will be best'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the logical progression within paragraphs is hindered by repetitive phrasing. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence builds logically upon the previous one would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on basic terms like 'new level of experience' and 'new things' multiple times, which limits the sophistication of your argument. There are also some word-choice errors, such as 'console students' (likely meant 'encourage') and 'balance preference'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range is restricted, and you struggle to use less common lexical items effectively. To improve, focus on learning collocations and synonyms that are appropriate for an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('it also come', 'this idea have'), incorrect verb forms ('Students will not going to focus', 'success their education'), and awkward phrasing ('not have success their education'). While the meaning is usually understandable, these persistent errors prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and subject-verb agreement to ensure your writing is more accurate.

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

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