Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10

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)

In recent decades, modern technology evolved and it is now requiring more practical skills than theoretical knowledge. All universities should allow the undergraduates to learn any practical skills or to do internships anywhere in the world and they should give some time to the students for these type of activities. I believe that this will not effect the final result of any student and ultimately it will be more beneficial for all the students due to its advantages.

Initially, learning a practical skills is always better than just focusing on studies in this time period when companies are demanding highly skilled professionals. If a student keep learning new skills and manage to do internships before the graduation, he will easily grab a good opportunity in no time and also he can earn great amount of money during the studies to fund his semester fee. Universities should also regulate this practice because of its advantages. For example, in developed countries, students are doing internships and even part-time job along with their studies and they are using this money to fund their education and using for other purposes.

Secondly, doing a job in any foreign country can develop the communication skills of the student which is so much essential for the future life and this can not be learned from books or from any educational institute, so universities should manage their time and also introduce these type of competitions for intelligent students where they can grab the opportunity for internship in the foreign country. For instance, in many developed countries, universities often make collaborations with the multinational companies for giving chance to their students.

In conclusion, I believe that the advantages of doing job or learning any new skills along with the studies are more than just memorizing books and universities should manage these useful activities for students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by arguing that the advantages of studying abroad or work placements outweigh the disadvantages. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention financial benefits and communication skills, the arguments are repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the point about 'earning money' is mentioned twice without exploring the academic or professional trade-offs. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph provides a more nuanced analysis of the 'disadvantages' mentioned in the prompt, rather than focusing exclusively on the benefits. The conclusion is a bit brief and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Initially,' 'Secondly,' and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as 'these type of activities' or 'these type of competitions.' The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother to create a more cohesive argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately, which helps the reader follow your line of reasoning.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'multinational companies,' 'theoretical knowledge,' and 'highly skilled professionals.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simple phrasing. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'effect the final result' (should be 'affect') and 'grab a good opportunity' (which is slightly informal). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and avoid repetitive phrasing like 'advantages' and 'opportunities.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('a student keep learning,' 'universities should manage their time'), article misuse ('the communication skills,' 'the graduation'), and incorrect pluralization ('these type of activities'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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