Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-22

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)

It is often argued that all bachelor courses should contain a time period studying abroad or doing internships during the whole degree program. I strongly believe that the pros of this would outweigh the cons. This essay will explain few reasons to clarify my point.

At the glance, some proponents argue that a specific time period to study abroad or do internship should be included in all university undergraduate courses. it would brings numerous benefits. It will enhances confidence in students, helps students to be self-dependent, and makes their CV more attractive for future jobs. In contrast, there are also some disadvantages of studying aboard or doing a work placement. As during that period students will cut off from their study schedule, it will affect their grades. During studying aboard students will stay alone in new country which create space with family. As this act is a double-edged sword. I think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

The primary reason I am in favor of this is that, it provides opportunities to students to get work experience during internship, which would definitely be helpful for them during job. Another reason is that, during studying aboard students will experience different environment, get advanced knowledge, and become familiar with new culture. As a result, they will be confident. For instance, when a person lives alone at a new place, he learns to face challenges. Consequently, he will be able to face any challenge easily.

In conclusion, while there are several drawbacks of studying aboard during bachelor degree, it benefits are more than drawbacks. I strongly believe that, the government should include one semester replacement option in all university undergraduate courses. It will plays an indispensable role in the success of students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as the benefits of work experience and personal development, and the drawbacks regarding academic disruption and family separation. However, the development of these points is somewhat superficial. For instance, the argument about 'cutting off from study schedule' is mentioned but not fully explored or balanced with potential solutions. While the position is consistent, the essay would benefit from more detailed examples or deeper analysis to move beyond general statements. The conclusion effectively summarizes the stance, though it introduces a new, specific suggestion (government-mandated one-semester replacement) that was not previously discussed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast', 'The primary reason', and 'Consequently', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical or repetitive, and there are instances where the flow is slightly disjointed, such as the abrupt transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, but the use of cohesive devices could be more varied and sophisticated to improve the overall flow of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'studying aboard' (which is also a spelling error for 'abroad') and 'university undergraduate courses'. While the student attempts to use some academic vocabulary like 'indispensable' and 'double-edged sword', the overall lexical range is limited. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'create space with family' instead of 'creates distance from family'. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and a wider variety of topic-specific vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('it would brings', 'it will enhances', 'it benefits are', 'It will plays') and article usage errors ('in new country', 'at a new place'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the misuse of commas and capitalization after periods (e.g., 'program. I', 'courses. it') indicates a lack of control. While the meaning is always clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band score.

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.