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)
Some people believe that universities should encourage a program for the students to explore study abroad or work environments during their semester. I believe it would be an amazing addition to undergraduate studies as students can get practical knowledge and career opportunities. Although It has some disadvantages such as homesickness and expensive courses. However, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
One of the major advantages of studying abroad is, students can improve their practical knowledge and could find more career opportunities in the future. For example, as an architect I personally experienced this thing that every field needs a practical skill by working as a volunteer or doing internships in any reputable firm or organization it has long term benefits. Studying abroad will improve the students in various forms such as exploring a different and exciting culture and tradition, foreign language, environment and communication skills.
On the other hand, there might be some disadvantages, many people can not afford studying abroad. Since it is quite expensive and students will miss their families making them homesick. In addition, their university education may be interrupted temporarily. Accordingly, studying abroad is a valuable contribution to students' career and future achievements. From my perspective, I strongly believe that students should go for studying abroad or internships, because it has major benefits for every student.
In conclusion, despite the potential disadvantages, such as high costs and homesickness, I believe that the benefits of studying abroad or completing a work placement outweigh the drawbacks. Therefore, universities should provide students with opportunities to gain practical experience and develop valuable professional and personal skills.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of practical skills and career opportunities. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'homesickness' and 'high costs' is mentioned but not deeply explored or countered with specific solutions. The personal example provided as an architect is a good start, but it lacks sufficient detail to fully support the argument. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your points with more specific examples or logical reasoning to ensure the response is fully developed throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'In addition', and 'In conclusion' to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as starting a sentence with 'Although' followed by a fragment, or the repetitive use of 'Accordingly' which does not quite fit the context. The flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is more precise to avoid minor confusion in the logical progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'practical knowledge', 'reputable firm', and 'professional and personal skills'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices, such as 'experienced this thing' or 'improve the students in various forms'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding informal phrasing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic, topic-specific terminology would also be beneficial for achieving a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with punctuation and sentence fragments. For example, the sentence 'Although It has some disadvantages such as homesickness and expensive courses.' is a fragment. Additionally, there are minor errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'a program for the students to explore study abroad'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Focus on proofreading for sentence boundaries and basic grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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