Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14
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)
It is often argued that undergraduates should be required to spend some time studying or to complete a work placement. Although, this policy could create certain challenges, I believe the advantages would outweigh the disadvantages.
One of the benefit for getting this approach is that it helped the students to get practical experience in their chosen fields. It enhances their skills such as communication and problem-solving. For example, a biology student learn more while working in a laboratory with equipment and chemicals that he might not learn from lectures or route learning.
Meeting people from diverse backgrounds encourages tolerance, empathy and contribute to infrastructure development. Students could have a chance to step out of their comfort zone, promoting self-discovery and personal development. Consequently, individuals gain knowledge, confidence and career opportunities. For instance, the learners would have more employment prospects in the future after having work experience in overseas. They could get employed instantly due to their experience and abilities.
No doubt, traveling abroad could be expensive, and people could be panic living away from family and friends. I believe that the advantages are greater than the disadvantages.
In conclusion, although working out of country would have some negative consequences, the benefits such as personal experience, exploring different cultures and improving the skills are more important and helpful.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, the essay fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 217 words long. This under-length significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the main points regarding practical experience and personal development are relevant, they are not sufficiently extended or supported with detailed examples. The conclusion is also quite brief. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more depth and provide more substantial evidence to meet the length requirement and fully develop your position.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic attempt at using cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'for instance', and 'in conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the body paragraphs and the counter-argument is abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels somewhat limited due to the brevity of the text. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that your ideas transition more smoothly from one to the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You use some relevant terms like 'practical experience', 'diverse backgrounds', and 'employment prospects'. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'getting this approach' instead of 'adopting this approach' and 'route learning' instead of 'rote learning'. Additionally, 'people could be panic' is grammatically incorrect and uses an inappropriate word form. To improve, focus on learning collocations and using more precise academic vocabulary to express your ideas more naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that detract from the quality of the writing. Examples include 'One of the benefit' (should be 'benefits'), 'a biology student learn' (should be 'learns'), and 'experience in overseas' (should be 'experience overseas'). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and word forms. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading your work to correct basic errors in tense, agreement, and preposition usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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