Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-13

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)

ad: growth/practical or hands-on exp, independent/confidence

da: cost, distraction

There is ongoing debate about whether all undergraduate degrees should include a period for students as a requirement doing work placement or studying abroad . Although, it could create financial and academic challenges. In my view, the advantages of this requirement outweigh the disadvantages, as significant boost it gives students' personal growth and practical skills.

One main advantage of this requirement is that it would give a boost to students practical skills and bring confidence. Studying abroad would assist students to improve their communication skills, and also help them to adapt according to that country's culture. While, working in a workplace or company would enable students to sharp and improve their skills. They would work on real time problems, and would hands-on experience. That experience they would never get from their textbooks. It would make them independent and experience for getting a future gap

On the other hand, this requirement have disadvantages as well. The main disadvantage will the cost. Studying abroad is very expensive, so middle class students cannot afford the living and educations costs. Another drawback could be the distraction from the main courses. If students will focus on working or studying, it could distract them from their main degree. They would feel under pressure, while managing work and study.

Although, these disadvantages are valuable, but these can be reduced by applying for a fully funded scholarship or through online classes.

In conclusion, although there are some advantages of this requirement, such as cost and distraction from courses, while advantages outweigh disadvantages, like personal growth and independence.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention benefits like 'practical skills' and 'independence', these points are not fully extended with concrete examples. The conclusion contains a significant error, stating that 'advantages... such as cost and distraction' are advantages, which contradicts your earlier argument. This confusion slightly weakens the overall task response. To improve, ensure that your supporting arguments are more thoroughly explained and that your conclusion accurately reflects the points made in the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'One main advantage', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the use of 'Although' at the start of sentences where it does not fit grammatically (e.g., 'Although, these disadvantages are valuable'). Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, which impacts the flow of the argument. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words will help your writing feel more natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'undergraduate degrees', 'financial challenges', and 'fully funded scholarship'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'sharp and improve their skills' (should be 'sharpen') and 'experience for getting a future gap'. Some vocabulary is repetitive, and there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise academic terminology. To reach a higher band, focus on learning collocations and using more precise academic vocabulary to express your ideas more clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('this requirement have disadvantages'), article usage, and sentence fragments. For example, 'And would hands-on experience' is not a complete sentence. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and a main verb.

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

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