Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-25

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)

In recent years, university undergraduate courses that include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing job has become increasingly common,leading to a considerable discussion about it's benefits and drawbacks. This strategy offers plenty of benefits particularly, it helps student to be more mature so that they will know the reality of this world earlier and use this experience in their future, while it has some disadvantages also such as, some of them misuse this chance and started doing all other things which is not appropriate.

One of the most significant advantages of studying abroad or doing a work placement is that it helps student to learn fast about multiple things which can be usefull in their future. This is because studying abroad has force them to live alone ,manage everything by himself like managing money, cooking their food, washing cloths. This are the basic skill a people need in their life. When responsibilities come they can manage everything by themselves which can have considerable impact in their life style. Moreover, it is evident that, studying abroad or doing job has multiple benefits particularly this make them mature enough which can be helpfull in their near future.

Despite all the benefits it has some notable disadvantages, such as some students misuse this opportunity. This is because some time while student started studying abroad they can not focus on their study rather than they started enjoying with friends, spending lot of money which is not acceptable, some can be addicted with drugs. After all this if they somehow manage to complete their undergrade degree ,results more likely to be negative ,which can have serious impact on their future.

In conclusion, studying abroad at this early stage or doing job has both impact. Like it can help a student to built his career whereas some use this chance to enjoy. But I think despites all the disadvantages at the end advantages outweigh the disadvantages. This is because students who are intend to spoil their time are not to much in number so most of the students will be benefited of this opportunity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, focusing on personal development and the potential for misuse. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the argument regarding 'learning fast' is not fully explored, and the examples provided (cooking, washing clothes) are quite basic. To reach a higher band, you should aim to extend your arguments with more sophisticated reasoning or specific, real-world examples rather than general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. There is a basic progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'This is because', 'Moreover', 'In conclusion'). Additionally, there are instances where referencing is unclear, such as the phrase 'doing all other things' in the first paragraph, which lacks precision. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would enhance the flow of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on common, simple terms like 'good', 'bad', or 'things'. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'doing job' instead of 'undertaking a work placement' and 'addicted with drugs' instead of 'addicted to drugs'. While the meaning is clear, the lack of more sophisticated or academic vocabulary limits the score. Incorporating more precise terminology related to education and professional development would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'studying abroad has force them'), article usage (e.g., 'a people need'), and punctuation errors (e.g., 'it's benefits' instead of 'its benefits'). While you attempt complex sentences, they often contain errors that affect clarity. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like pluralization and verb tense consistency.

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.