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)

Undergraduate courses of all universities should have a dedicated time period, which will be spent on studying in other countries alternatively, doing a job placement. This essay will discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages of this and then, I will come to a conclusion.

First of all, most of the students have dreams of studying abroad. Many students pursue these dreams since there childhood and others plans to study abroad when they get mature enough. Similarly, many students also think of getting into a job when they graduate. But the matter of concern is that, there is no proper guidelines or instructions available regarding these concerns. As a result, they often feel lost, when the time arrives, when decisions need to be taken. Also, sometimes they take wrong decisions. For that reason, it will be very beneficial for the students, if there is a dedicated time period, where discussion, instructions and guidelines about study abroad and work placement will be provided.

On the other hand, if the students only focus on study abroad or job placement period, they will not give enough attention to other subjects' study periods. They will only wait for the period of time when study abroad or work placement is discussed. As a consequence, the academic education might be hampered.

To conclude, I think allocating a period of time for study abroad or job placement has more advantages then disadvantages. Therefore, it should be arranged by the authorities. However, this has some minor disadvantages, but I think it will not do any harm to anyone if this time period and the discussions are controlled properly along with the academic education. Thus, it will surely help the students to pursue their dreams.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt, but the development of ideas is limited. You have identified the topic, but your argument focuses more on the need for 'guidance' regarding study abroad rather than the inherent advantages or disadvantages of the experience itself. For instance, you argue that students feel lost and need instructions, which is a secondary issue rather than a direct evaluation of the benefits of studying abroad (e.g., cultural exchange, language acquisition, or employability). The position is clear, but the supporting ideas are somewhat superficial and lack the depth required for a higher band. To improve, ensure your arguments directly address the core of the prompt rather than peripheral administrative concerns.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'First of all,' 'On the other hand,' and 'To conclude' to signal the progression of your argument. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition between the need for guidance and the potential negative impact on academic studies is abrupt. While the paragraphing is sufficient, the logical progression within paragraphs could be more sophisticated to better connect your supporting points to your main thesis.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher levels. You rely on common phrases like 'dreams of studying abroad' and 'matter of concern.' There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'since there childhood' (should be 'since their childhood') and 'more advantages then disadvantages' (should be 'than'). While your meaning is always clear, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the 'less common' items that would demonstrate a more flexible command of the language. Focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to higher education.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that, while not impeding communication, are noticeable. Examples include 'others plans to study' (should be 'others plan'), 'there is no proper guidelines' (should be 'there are no proper guidelines'), and 'when the time arrives, when decisions need to be taken' (clunky phrasing). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some unnecessary commas. To reach a higher band, you need to increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and improve your control over subject-verb agreement and pluralization.

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

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