Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12

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)

In recent year studying abroad during undergraduate programes is in trend. It is argued that undergraduate courses should include a period of overseas study or work placement. Although this requirement may reduce the time students spend on academic courses, I believe that the practical experience and broader perspectives gained from these activities mean that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

If we look at the positive side then an individual gets a chance to have an enhancement in its knowledge and thinking ability by getting known to foreign culture as by this they will grab a chance to develope their communication skills and can learn other language than there native tongue. At the same time they achieve international exposture which is a great ladder leading to a good career development and also grooms their personality and skills which gives a huge impact in there academics and proffesional life.

Meanwhile on other hand there are few cons of this aspect in which during this migrational period they stay away from there family and friends who are living in their native region which creates a disconnection among the relations and sometimes leads in loosing the cultural values and systematics which eventually results in letting down or hatred toward their own nation but this occures in the rare cases otherwise there are some people who studies well and introduce new nomes of foreign culture to their society and bring it forward.

In conclusion according to my opinion it is a great idea to include abroad studing culture or a work placement oppotunies for university students.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad or work placements. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention benefits like communication skills and career development, the explanation remains quite general. The counter-argument regarding the 'cons' is also brief and lacks specific examples or a more nuanced exploration of how these challenges might be mitigated. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is supported by more detailed reasoning or concrete examples. Your position is clear throughout, but the overall depth of the argument needs to be expanded to fully satisfy the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'If we look at the positive side', 'Meanwhile on other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of cohesive devices could be more varied and sophisticated. For instance, the transition between the benefits and the drawbacks feels a bit abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as the use of 'this aspect' and 'this requirement'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas will enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'undergraduate programes', 'international exposure', and 'professional life'. However, there are several spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'programes', 'develope', 'exposture', 'proffesional', 'nomes', and 'oppotunies'. These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable. Furthermore, some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'migrational period' and 'systematics'. To improve, focus on accuracy in spelling and work on using more precise collocations. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, the recurring errors prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of your writing. Examples include 'In recent year' (should be 'In recent years'), 'its knowledge' (should be 'their knowledge'), 'getting known to' (should be 'getting to know'), and 'there native tongue' (should be 'their native tongue'). Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur consistently throughout the essay. Increasing your focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and sentence structure will significantly improve your score.

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

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