Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-21

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 5.0)

It is often argued that most of students should spend their time to study abroad or completing a work placement as part of their university education. Although, this requirement could create some difficulties, I believe that its advantages are greater than its disadvantages.

Firstly, one major benefit is that students can gain practical experience before entering to job market. In addition, they also can develop different skills as communication, teamwork and independency. Moreover, a work placement could help students to manage work-life balance. For instance, during their course completion they can learn how businesses operates.

Secondly, an other significant advantage is that studding abroad can broaden learners perspective, they may feel confident for own their responsibilities and learn new things. Additionally, they can grab knowledge about different cultures and social norms. Furthermore, students can learn new language , and positive social values when interact with

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 145 words long. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you have stated a clear position, the arguments are underdeveloped and the essay ends abruptly mid-sentence. To achieve a higher band, you must expand on your points with specific examples and ensure the essay is complete. The current length prevents a full exploration of the topic, leading to a score of 4.0 for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', and 'Secondly' to organize ideas. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the text. Paragraphing is present, but the lack of a conclusion and the abrupt ending hinder the overall flow. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your ideas are fully developed before moving to the next point. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure is incomplete.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are some errors in word choice, such as 'studding' instead of 'studying' and 'independency' instead of 'independence'. Phrases like 'grab knowledge' are informal and not ideal for an academic essay. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure accurate spelling of key terms. The range is limited, which restricts the ability to convey complex ideas effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There is a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. Errors include 'most of students' (should be 'most students'), 'entering to job market' (should be 'entering the job market'), and 'how businesses operates' (should be 'how businesses operate'). Punctuation errors, such as the comma splice in 'broaden learners perspective, they may feel', also occur. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of grammatical errors is noticeable and affects the overall quality of the writing.

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

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