Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

studying abroad or giving work placement are beneficial for students that all university have to do for their students who is doing under graduated courses. However, even though this practice brings about mixed bag of both boon and bane but benefits of improving their future outshines the drawbacks of universities have to spend hefty amount of money for this.

On the destructive part, there appears to be potential shortcoming from this trend. Chiefly, university need to spend hefty amount of money on this both projects as a result they need to increases the tution fees of students. However, middle class families could not afford this fees. For instance, In 2020 BBC research that 60% of the colleges and university are shut down because they cannot provide students job placements ant the end of their undergraduate course. Therefore, providing studying in abroad and job offers can improve the reputation of university.

On the constructive part, society is blessed with numerous benefits because of presence of studing in abroad or doing a work placement for students through their university, consequently students have their courage and they improve themselves for their future. Secondly, providing this benefits can help students to come out from their fear of their own future. Also this could be apply for all university because many students already taking hefty amount of fees for their courses as a token of gifts. For instance, In the recent report of the USA university maximum number of students are getting their job placement and getting scollarship for their further studies.

Suffice to say, all university needs to provide a period of time to spend study in abroad or giving job offers to students. I believe benefits for their future growth outshine the drawbacks because of spend numerous amount of money.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you mention financial burdens and student benefits, the supporting arguments are often unclear or logically disconnected. For instance, the example regarding BBC research in 2020 is not clearly linked to the argument about university costs, and the claim that universities shut down because they cannot provide job placements is a significant overgeneralization. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-explained idea supported by relevant, logical evidence rather than vague or confusing statistics.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is frequently disrupted by awkward phrasing and unclear transitions. While you use cohesive devices like 'However', 'On the destructive part', and 'Consequently', they are sometimes used incorrectly or in a way that makes the flow mechanical. For example, the transition 'On the constructive part' is non-standard. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the link between 'token of gifts' and the argument is confusing. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each sentence follows logically from the previous one will significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary range is limited and often repetitive. You rely on phrases like 'hefty amount of money' multiple times, which reduces the impact of your argument. There are also several instances of awkward collocations and word choice errors, such as 'mixed bag of both boon and bane', 'destructive part', and 'token of gifts', which do not fit the academic tone required for this task. To achieve a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and avoid overusing the same phrases. Expanding your range of synonyms and learning how to use them in the correct context will help you express your ideas more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'university need to spend', 'all university needs to provide'), article usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or run-on, such as 'For instance, In 2020 BBC research that 60% of the colleges and university are shut down...'. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring subjects and verbs agree, and proofreading for common errors like missing articles or incorrect verb tenses. Simplifying your sentence structure until you have better control is a good strategy.

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

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