Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-26

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 my view, deciding people that whether the universities should include the period to spend time abroad or doing a job in their study time period is one's choice. But I strongly agree with the statement that undergraduate courses should contain work placement and study in other countries. It is because by doing so, the students get more experience and international exposure.

To commence with, when it becomes mandatory in the study courses for students to do a practical work which is related to their subjects then the university students become more competent and talented in their fields. Because when they go for getting any job already know what the difficulties, hardships and troubles are they have to face in their work.

For instance: one of my cousins got qualification from "University of Faisalabad" in the field of agriculture. His father is a farmer and has his own land, he also helped his father in his work. In this way, he gained practical experience in his course of study. When he got a job and worked hard as a result, he became the wealthiest person in our whole family.

Moreover, when it becomes necessary to send people abroad for gaining international exposure then it helps people a lot to gain job and increases the chance of success because we have to tackle with world-wide tasks.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of both of them such as it require money, many people are not able to leave their family behind and some people think that it is just waste of time. Subsequently, the advantages of this would not outweigh its disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt, but the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you state your position clearly in the introduction, the conclusion contradicts your earlier argument by stating the advantages do not outweigh the disadvantages, which creates confusion regarding your actual stance. The supporting ideas, such as the example of your cousin, are somewhat anecdotal and lack a strong connection to the broader academic context of mandatory placements. To improve, ensure your conclusion aligns with your thesis and provide more generalized, analytical support for your arguments rather than relying on personal narratives.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or misused. For example, the transition 'Subsequently' at the end is used incorrectly to introduce a summary, and the flow between sentences is occasionally choppy. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the final paragraph where 'both of them' refers back to concepts that were not explicitly linked in that way. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help the progression of your ideas feel more natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your main points. However, there is a lack of precision and a reliance on basic phrasing. Phrases like 'getting any job' and 'troubles are they have to face' are somewhat informal and imprecise. You attempt some academic vocabulary, but it is often used with slight inaccuracies in collocation. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated, topic-specific terminology related to higher education and professional development, and ensure your word choices are contextually appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'it require money'), awkward phrasing (e.g., 'deciding people that whether'), and missing articles or prepositions. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the writing from reaching a higher level of accuracy. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and refining your sentence structure will significantly improve your score.

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