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)

The growing oppurtunity in various universities or doing a work placement needs proper research and induction for students. This will help the students to be successful in their career. Some students aim to pursue their career in university in abroad, however they find it difficult to figure out the procedure behind it. To achieve this, alloting a class while they are pursuing their undergraduation would have a lot of advantages.

1. Get to know about various universities - These period would equip the students with a lots of knowledge about various universities. Students will have a various options before selecting the final university. They can surf their official websites, watch videos available online or attend a webinar.

2. Different criteria for each university - To plan well, students will get to know about the criteria to join these universities. This include - fees, entrance exams, result, scholarship, submission deadline, options for accomodation, tenure of the course.

3. Required skillset: While researching for a job oppurtunity often employees are expect to have certain skills. If students are aware of these beforehand, it would be easier for them to acquire that skill and have the oppurtunity to join.

4. Career counselling : During the period, students can also have a brief conversation about university selection with the career counsellor, who can help them to understand the entire procedures properly.

To give a relevant example, while I was pursuing my undergraduation, we never had an oppurtunity to have a period for researching about universities and jobs. Students used to feel overwhelm about the options available for them. Sometime the information provided in their official websites seemed to be not enough, and as a result, students used to miss the oppurtunity to join them.

In conclusion, the advantages of having a period for studying more about universities and work placement will not outweigh the disadvantages as its going to help the student to understand what is the best for their career.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt but misinterprets the core task. The prompt asks whether a mandatory period of study abroad or work placement is beneficial. However, your essay focuses on the need for 'research and induction' or 'career counselling' classes to help students prepare for these things, rather than arguing for or against the mandatory inclusion of the experiences themselves. This shift in focus means the task is only partially addressed. While you provide reasons for your position, the development is limited by this misunderstanding of the prompt. To improve, ensure you directly answer the specific question asked rather than discussing a related but different topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay uses a numbered list format, which is not appropriate for an IELTS Academic Task 2 essay. Standard academic writing requires cohesive paragraphs with clear topic sentences and logical transitions. While there is a basic attempt at organization, the use of bullet points makes the flow mechanical and hinders the development of a cohesive argument. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. To improve, use formal paragraph structures with linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', and 'in addition' to connect your ideas smoothly without relying on list formatting.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several spelling errors, such as 'oppurtunity' (repeatedly), 'alloting', and 'accomodation'. Additionally, there are some awkward collocations, such as 'surf their official websites' (usually 'browse' or 'visit') and 'employees are expect to have' (should be 'expected'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on accurate spelling and using more precise academic collocations. For example, instead of 'surf', use 'examine' or 'navigate', and ensure you proofread for common spelling mistakes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'These period would equip' (subject-verb agreement error), 'students used to feel overwhelm' (should be 'overwhelmed'), and 'what is the best for their career' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in the list section. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice to improve accuracy.

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

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