Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-15

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 7.0)

In recent years, there has been growing emphasis on providing university students with practical and international experiences alongside their academic studies. It is argued that undergraduate courses should include a period of studying abroad or completing a work placement. Although this approach has some disadvantages, I believe that its advantages outweigh them.

To commence with the work placements and overseas study can provide students with valuable practical skills that cannot be always developed in a classroom. A work placement, for instance, enables undergraduates to apply their theoretical knowledge in a professional environment and understand how their choosen field operates in practice. Furthermore, studying abroad can improve student's communication and interpersonal skills because they have to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds. As a result, undergraduates become more confident, independent and adaptable which can significantly improve their employment prospects. For example, a business student who completes an internship in an international company may gain practical experience that makes their resume more attractive to future employers.

However, making such programmes compulsory can create financial and academic difficulties for some students. Studying in another country can involve substantial expenses for accommodation, transportation and daily living, while even domestic work placements may require students to travel to another city. Additionally, spending several months outside university could make difficulty for students in completing academic courses.Nevertheless, universities could address these problems by providing financial assistance and offering flexible placement options. Therefore, these disadvantages are relatively manageable compared with the long-term benefits of practical and international experience.

In conclusion, although compulsory study abroad programmes and work placements may create financial and academic difficulties, I believe that their advantages are considerably greater. The development of practical skills, independence and employment opportunities makes such experience highly beneficial for undergraduate students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt. You clearly stated your position in the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. The arguments for both the advantages (practical skills, employability) and disadvantages (financial and academic strain) are well-developed and supported with relevant examples. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that your counter-arguments are balanced with your main arguments; here, the discussion of the advantages is slightly more detailed than the disadvantages, but the overall response is well-structured and relevant.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you have used a range of cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'Nevertheless' to link your points effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is clear. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, which demonstrates a good level of control over the structure of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'professional environment', 'theoretical knowledge', and 'employment prospects' are used accurately. There are a few minor issues, such as 'choosen' (spelling) and 'make difficulty' (collocation), but these do not impede communication. You show an awareness of style by using academic phrasing. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated, less common lexical items to demonstrate greater flexibility and precision in your word choices.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a variety of complex sentence structures effectively, such as conditional and concessive clauses (e.g., 'Although this approach has some disadvantages, I believe...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is generally good. There are occasional minor errors, such as the missing article in 'improve student's communication' (should be 'students'') and the phrasing 'make difficulty for students' (should be 'make it difficult for students'). These are non-systematic errors that do not hinder the reader's understanding of your argument.

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