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)

The importance of practical education has become a subject of considerable debate these days. It is often argued that undergraduates should be required to study abroad or work for a certain period during their studies. I strongly believe that this approach has more advantages than disadvantages.

One of the major advantages of studying abroad or working during university is that it gives students exposure to the real world beyond theoretical knowledge. This exposure gives students opportunities to meet professionals, communicate with them and gain practical knowledge in their respective fields. For instance, a student working in a company can observe how professionals apply the concepts learned in class to real-world tasks. As a result, students can develop confidence, improve their communication skills and learn techniques that may be useful in their future careers.

On the other hand, this approach can also create a financial burden for students and their families. This is mainly because studying abroad involves several expenses, such as tuition fees, travel costs, accommodation and daily living expenses. Furthermore, these costs can be particularly difficult for families with limited incomes, as they may have to use their savings or borrow money to support their children. For example, a student from a low-income family may struggle to afford accommodation and other living expenses while studying abroad. Consequently, making such experience compulsory could place considerable financial pressure on parents and make higher education less accessible to some students.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that the advantages of requiring students to gain practical experience through work or study abroad outweigh the disadvantages. Although this approach can create financial pressure for some families, it allows students to gain valuable practical experience alongside their academic education and better prepares them for their future careers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with logical explanations. For instance, the discussion on the financial burden provides a balanced view, which strengthens the argument. The development is consistent, and the conclusion effectively summarises the main points. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific, real-world examples beyond general scenarios (e.g., mentioning a specific type of internship program or a country known for its study abroad initiatives) to add more depth and authority to your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the advantages and disadvantages is smooth, using appropriate cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand' and 'Consequently'. The use of referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is functional. The flow is natural, and the reader is never confused about the direction of the argument. To improve further, you could experiment with a wider variety of cohesive devices to link sentences more fluidly, as some transitions are quite standard.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'theoretical knowledge', 'financial burden', and 'higher education less accessible' are used accurately. The vocabulary is appropriate for an academic context. While the range is adequate, it is somewhat functional. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items (e.g., 'invaluable insight', 'mitigate the costs', or 'professional acumen') to show greater flexibility and a more nuanced command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as in the sentence 'Although this approach can create financial pressure for some families, it allows students to gain valuable practical experience'. The grammar is generally accurate, and there are very few errors. The punctuation is also handled well. To move into the higher bands, ensure you use a wider variety of complex structures, such as passive voice or conditional sentences, to demonstrate full control over more sophisticated grammatical forms.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.