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)
SOME PEOPLE HAVE A VIEW THAT ALL UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE COURSES SHOULD INCLUDE A PERIOD OF TIME SPENT STUDYING ABROAD OR DOING A WORK PLACEMENT, I AGREE WITH THIS OPINION, AND I WILL DISCUSS MY VIEWS WITH RELEVANT EXAMPLES IN THIS ESSAY.
EDUCATION IS A WEAPON THAT WE CAN USE FOR WELFARE OF SOCIETY, COMMUNITY ALSO FOR THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF OURSELVES. WE CAN ENHANCE OUR SKILLS AND ABILITIES EFFICIENTLY IN OUR LEARNING ERA THAT IS OUR UNDER GRADUATION OR GRADUATION PERIOD. DURING THESE PERIODS, A PERSON IS IN HIS TEENAGE, SCIENTIFICALLY THAT IS CONSIDERED AS THE BEST AGE FOR THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL.
SO, IF AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS GETS THE OPPORTUNITY LIKE WORKING IN ABROAD, WORK PLACEMENT ETC. THEY WILL DEFINITELY GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO GROW AND DEVELOP , ALSO HELP HIM IN LEARNING TO WORK OUTSIDE THE NATION OR DON'T BE IN JUST A COMFORT ZONE. BECAUSE THE MAIN OBSTACLE IN WAY TO SUCCESS IS OUR COMFORT ZONE.IF UNIVERSITIES WOULD START GIVING THIS KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS, THEN THEY CAN DO BETTER, AND WOULD HAVE BETTER CAREER CHOICES , CHANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD.
IN CONCLUSION, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF YOUTH OR STUDENTS, NOT ONLY UNIVERSITIES SOLEMNLY TAKE DECISION BUT ALSO STATE AND CENTRE GOVERNMENTS SHOULD CONTRIBUTE OR COOPERATE WITH THEM FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 221 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you state your position clearly, the arguments are underdeveloped and lack specific examples or depth. You mention 'working in abroad' and 'work placement' but do not elaborate on how these experiences specifically benefit a student's career or personal growth. The essay remains quite general and repetitive in its reasoning. To improve, you must expand on your points with concrete examples and ensure you meet the minimum length to allow for a full exploration of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'So' and 'In conclusion', the transitions between sentences are often mechanical or abrupt. The use of capitalization for the entire text makes it difficult to read and is not appropriate for formal writing. Paragraphing is present, but the body paragraphs lack internal cohesion, making the argument feel like a list of points rather than a well-structured discussion. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring a logical flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'overall development' and 'opportunities'. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'learning era' and 'solemnly take decision', which do not sound natural in an academic context. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that are relevant to the topic of education and professional development, while ensuring that your word choices are accurate and contextually appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'undergraduate students gets'), incorrect preposition usage ('working in abroad'), and awkward phrasing ('don't be in just a comfort zone'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, and the use of all-caps throughout is a significant issue for formal writing. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors and the limited variety of complex structures prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence variety and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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