Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Every university's undergraduate programs should consist of some time spent studying in foreign countries or doing internships. I strongly believe that the upsides of these outweigh the downsides. Students would get hand on experience and some valuable experiences out of these.

The main advantage of studying abroad is that students will have a change in their enviorment, atmosphere and people which many undergraduate students would love. By doing work placements they would get hand on experience which would be so benifical for their practical life. The students who does work placements while studying have a better chance of getting job then the students who don't even if it's a unpaid internship. Studying in a foreign country for a small amount of time with your friends and classmates can give you years worth of memory and some valuable lessons and it might make the bond between you and and your friends stronger.

While there are many advantages there are also quite a few disadvantages of studying abroad. Some students might not be able to afford the expenses of studying abroad even for a small amount of period, some students might miss their family because undergraduates are still just a bunch of teenagers. Many students might find it hard to work while studying in a university because of that they might not be able to focus more on their studies.Also many parents don't like their child to work while studying in a university so they might not allow them to join the internship program.

In conclusion I would say that even if there are many disadvatanges the advantages still outweigh them because they give them experience, some valuable lessons and years worth memory which they may remember till the rest of their life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention benefits like 'hands-on experience' and 'valuable lessons,' these points are not fully extended or supported with specific examples from your own knowledge, as requested. The discussion of disadvantages is also quite general, focusing on financial and emotional aspects without deep analysis. To reach a higher band, ensure that each main point is supported by a concrete example or a more detailed explanation of how the experience impacts a student's future career or personal development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, you rely heavily on 'some' and 'many' to link ideas. There is also a lack of sophisticated transition words to connect the advantages and disadvantages more fluidly. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking phrases such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'on the other hand' to create a more natural flow between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic descriptors like 'upsides,' 'downsides,' and 'good.' There are also some spelling errors, such as 'enviorment' (environment), 'benifical' (beneficial), and 'disadvatanges' (disadvantages). While these do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to education and professional development, and ensure you are familiar with the spelling of common academic words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For instance, 'The students who does work placements' should be 'The students who do,' and 'getting job' should be 'getting a job.' Additionally, there are issues with punctuation and article usage, such as 'the rest of their life' instead of 'the rest of their lives.' While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.

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

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