Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-06

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 5.0)

The given essay illustrates the ubiquitious issue arise during studies in universities because many students come from various background and often worry about the expenses. There is an ongoing arguements regarding whether undergraduate courses should be included in the courses or still stick with the traditional learning.

Taking off from course in mid-way can be approaching as individual get an opportunity to visit outside of their country to explosure the career-driven skills. Furthermore, inpoverished candidates can earn to support their further academics and gain experiences through time. Despite this, subject like business and IT sectors demands praticak knowledge and a confidence to deal with dillemmas, real life experience and navigation enables them to generate profound connection world wide and build reputation that pushes them towards success in later life.

There are some disadvantages of having a break from the studies in middle. Likely, it can streches the time duration of a course and can waste precious time of learning. Most of the student would loose focus and study less effectively after a long break. On the other hand, moving abroad can be expensive and hurdle to afford by every student.Ultimately, a sceme from the government could help the deserving student to make their own identity and make the whole nation proud.

In conclusion, I firmly believe there are some benefits that can outweight the disadvantages but a pragmatic apporach require to gain holistic outcomes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The essay addresses the prompt by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad or work placements. However, the response is under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. While you present a clear position, the ideas are somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the link between 'impoverished candidates' and 'earning to support academics' is not fully explained. Additionally, the introduction is slightly off-topic, focusing on general university expenses rather than the specific requirement of the prompt. To improve, ensure you fully expand on your arguments with concrete examples and meet the word count requirement to allow for a more comprehensive discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'Despite this', and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'Taking off from course in mid-way can be approaching'. The use of referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track the subject matter. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that transitions smoothly to the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. There are several instances of incorrect word choice or non-standard collocations, such as 'ubiquitious issue arise', 'explosure', 'praticak', and 'sceme'. These errors occasionally impede the flow of reading. While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'career-driven skills' and 'holistic outcomes', the overall range is limited. To reach a higher band, focus on learning the correct spelling and usage of academic vocabulary and avoid repeating simple structures. Expanding your range of synonyms will also help you express your ideas more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('subject like business... demands'), incorrect verb forms ('can streches'), and awkward sentence construction ('a pragmatic apporach require to gain'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar and word formation is noticeable and occasionally makes the text difficult to follow. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, and proofreading for common slips in spelling and word endings.

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

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