Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11

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 7.5)

Numerous individuals believe that all university courses should contain a period of time spent studying abroad or undertaking work experience. Although this policy has some drawbacks, I believe it offers significant educational benefits through work experience that clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

One major advantage of this policy is that it helps students combine academic knowledge with practical, real-world experience. Studying abroad and working in a different environment also promote personal growth. Living independently encourages students to become more responsible. In addition, this process also develops communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, making graduates more confident and employable. Such qualities are increasingly important as many companies now operate internationally. For instance, microbiology students often do internships in laboratories to become familiar with laboratory work; moreover, they gain knowledge about bacteria and research work. Consequently, universities are able to prepare students more effectively for future careers.

On the other hand, this policy may place financial and administrative pressure on universities. Additionally, several undergraduate students may struggle due to low income and the high cost of studying abroad. By way of illustration, smaller institutions may not have enough overseas partnerships or internship opportunities for every student. Furthermore, it can be difficult for students to support themselves independently while abroad, particularly since many internships do not offer paid positions. Compared with the lasting educational benefits, however, these disadvantages are relatively limited.

In conclusion, although requiring undergraduates to study abroad or undertake work placements involves certain practical difficulties, the long-term advantages for students' academic, personal, and professional development are far more significant.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of personal growth and employability, and the counter-arguments regarding financial and administrative burdens are well-integrated. The development is logical, though the example regarding microbiology students is slightly narrow in scope. To reach a higher band, you could expand on the 'work placement' aspect more specifically, as the essay focuses heavily on the general benefits of experience rather than the specific implications of making these mandatory for all undergraduate courses.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the advantages and disadvantages is handled smoothly using cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'Compared with the lasting educational benefits, however'. The use of linking words such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', and 'Consequently' is effective and natural. The paragraphing is logical, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of your argument. The flow is consistent, and the relationship between ideas is clearly established throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'administrative pressure', 'overseas partnerships', and 'professional development' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is appropriate and conveys your meaning clearly, it lacks the 'less common' or 'idiomatic' items that would elevate the score to an 8.0. The word choices are generally standard and functional. To improve, try incorporating more sophisticated collocations or nuanced synonyms to show a greater degree of lexical flexibility and stylistic awareness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinating conjunctions effectively, such as 'Although this policy has some drawbacks' and 'particularly since many internships do not offer paid positions'. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors that impede communication. Punctuation is used correctly to separate clauses. To achieve a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more advanced conditional sentences, to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility and control over more sophisticated syntactic patterns.

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

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