Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-09

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)

Universities should allow a specific time period for undergraduates to either study abroad or have a work placement. In my opinion the advantages of this requirement outweigh the disadvantages.

On the one hand, it can benefit students in every aspect, from their student life to building their career. Moreover, allowing learners to spend time in a different country gives them more opportunities. They can experience different culture and values while studying. They can also get to know about the demand of skills required in foreign countries. Furthermore, other option are also available like getting internships in a company or any setup to polish their skills. This will allow them to gain hands-on experience related to their field and will also help them in professional life after graduation. For example I recently completed my degree in doctor of physical therapy and now I have to complete one year of house job to get experience in my field.

One the other hand, there are some disadvantages that scholars may face, one of which is the expenses of living abroad which a student can not afford themselves and that puts a burden on their parents instead. This issue can be sorted out if universities take a step in paying half of the expenses of students who are not financially strong. By taking this step, major problem that can effect students will be sorted out.

In conclusion, I personally believe that minor issues can be solved if universities plays the major role. This will allow pupils to get different life experiences and can also get the idea of job and business culture abroad about how professionalism works in different states.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, such as gaining cultural awareness and hands-on professional experience. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the benefits are explained, the discussion of disadvantages is limited to financial concerns, and the proposed solution—universities paying for half the expenses—is a bit simplistic and lacks depth. To reach a higher band, you should provide more nuanced arguments regarding the potential drawbacks, such as the academic disruption or the difficulty of integrating work placements into specific curricula, rather than focusing solely on financial aspects.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one hand,' 'Moreover,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the sentence 'By taking this step, major problem that can effect students will be sorted out,' where the connection to the previous sentence could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'hands-on experience,' 'professional life,' and 'job and business culture.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'other option are also available' (should be plural) and 'any setup' (which is vague). To improve, you should aim for more precise academic collocations and a wider variety of vocabulary to avoid repeating basic terms like 'students' or 'get'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('universities plays the major role'), missing articles ('get the idea of job'), and incorrect word forms ('effect' used instead of 'affect'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures and proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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