Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-18

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 6.0)

Universities should accommodate a certain period of time for their undergraduate students in studying abroad or providing job placements as part of their courses. The major advantage of this would be the experience of a foreign curriculum and job security. In my preference, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

One of the primary advantages of scheduling abroad studies is enabling students to have an enriching experience of a foreign curriculum. Through abroad study programmes, students are exposed to a wide variety of concepts and theories which they wouldn't be able to acquire otherwise. For instance, a student travelling to Japan from India is exposed to concepts of modern technologies via science projects organised in schools. A secondary advantage of providing job placement would be the satisfaction of job security. If a student is assured a job while he is studying, it will provide him job satisfaction, as he can work within the same company in the long-run after his graduation, without the hassle of hunting a job.

A disadvantage of holding such study abroad sessions will result in distraction for many students. Many parents are of the opinion that conducting such programmes will distract their students from regular academics and shift their focus to travelling, which would be a deviation for them. To illustrate, a student The job placement will also have a negative impact where students will become lethargic to hunt for jobs by themselves, thereby enabling them to procure jobs easily without much effort.

In conclusion, I'm of the opinion that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, where students when exposed to abroad studies become resilient and are at peace with the job placement oppourtunies helping secure them job conveniently.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as the benefits of exposure to different curricula and the potential for job security. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat uneven. For example, the argument regarding job security is a bit simplistic, as it assumes a guaranteed job placement leads to long-term satisfaction without considering the complexities of the job market. The counter-argument regarding distraction is also slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, you should provide more nuanced explanations and perhaps a more concrete example for the disadvantages section, as the sentence 'To illustrate, a student' is incomplete and lacks a clear point.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a progression of ideas from the introduction to the body paragraphs and the conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For instance,' 'A secondary advantage,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. For instance, in the third paragraph, the sentence 'To illustrate, a student The job placement...' is fragmented and disrupts the flow of the argument. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that sentences are complete would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task. You demonstrate an ability to use topic-specific language like 'curriculum,' 'job placements,' and 'resilient.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'In my preference' is not a standard phrase; 'In my opinion' would be more appropriate. Additionally, 'lethargic to hunt for jobs' is slightly unnatural; 'unmotivated to seek employment' would be more precise. There is also a spelling error in 'oppourtunies.' To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling of academic vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede clarity. For example, the sentence 'In conclusion, I'm of the opinion that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, where students when exposed to abroad studies become resilient and are at peace with the job placement oppourtunies helping secure them job conveniently' is overly long and grammatically convoluted. There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic grammatical errors will help improve your score in this area.

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

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