Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20

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)

Period of time should be spent studying abroad or doing a work placement for undergraduate students. I agree with it because throughout the life students have been doing courses from the same envirnment. A change in the surrounding would highly benefit them. In the subsequent paragraphs, I shall explain why undercourse courses should consider including abroad studying or work placement.

In my opinion, if the universities think about including a brief period of time for their students they will experience something different and learn new things that will help them in future. Interaction with foreign students will help them boost their confidence. Same is the case with work, showcasing theory based studies into practical work will open the doors for oppurtunities and eventually productivity will be increased. Moreover, working with teammates develop a sense of responsibility that contributes for them to give their best.

As for studying abroad, cooperation with teacher will serve mannerism and a good deal of personality. Their student will surely thank them later for providing such courses for them. In addition to it, their students will be more active in participating in several activities because time spent in abroad would have taught them that the more attentive you are in co-curricular activities it will benefit you either way in different phases of life.

If we look on the other side of story, sending their students abroad would definitely be costly and some students could not even afford it. Keeping that is mind some of the students could not even graduate due to this matter.

Keeping all this discussion in view, the advantages of this would still outweigh the disadvantages because firstly the university will granatee the bright future of their students and secondly they will prepare them for challanges that might arise in future.

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 somewhat limited. While you mention benefits like 'boosting confidence' and 'practical work', these points are not fully extended with concrete examples or deeper analysis. The counter-argument regarding costs is introduced but remains superficial. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific illustrations—for instance, explaining exactly how a work placement bridges the gap between theory and industry requirements. The conclusion is clear, but the overall depth of the argument is consistent with a Band 6 level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition to it', and 'Keeping all this discussion in view' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Same is the case with work' or 'As for studying abroad, cooperation with teacher will serve mannerism'. The flow between sentences is sometimes interrupted by phrasing that lacks natural cohesion. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'their students') is always clear will help improve the logical progression of your arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'practical work', 'productivity', and 'co-curricular activities'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'undercourse courses' (likely meaning 'undergraduate'), 'serve mannerism', and 'granatee' (guarantee). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To improve, focus on learning collocations—for example, instead of 'serve mannerism', you might use 'foster professional conduct' or 'develop soft skills'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'throughout the life students have been doing courses' (tense/article usage), 'a sense of responsibility that contributes for them to give their best' (preposition error), and 'if we look on the other side of story' (missing article). While these errors are noticeable, they rarely prevent the reader from understanding your meaning. To achieve a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement, consistent tense usage, and correct article placement.

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

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