Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Many universities are considering making study abroad or work placements a compulsory part of undergraduate courses. While this policy may presents certain difficulties, I strongly believe that benefits are greater than the drawbacks.

The main advantage is that students becomes better prepared for their future careers. A work placement will give them hands-on experience and helps them to understand how their profession operates in real world as employers also value those graduates who already have workplace experience. For instance, when I was doing degree in Doctor of Physical Therapy, I got a opportunity to do internship in a private clinic which helped me better understanding of my profession as well as helped me in gaining great a experience and skill while working with senior Doctors.

Furthermore, studying in another country helps learners develop personally. They learn to live independently, manage their finances, and adapt to anew culture. These experiences improve their confidence, communication skills, and ability to work with people from adverse background.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages. The biggest concern is cost. Travelling and living abroad could be expensive and not all students can afford these additional expenses. Some students may also suffer with homesickness, language and cultural barrier, or adjusting to a new education system which might affect their academic performance.

However, these disadvantages could be reduced if universities provides scholarship, financial aids and local work placements for those students who cannot afford to travel abroad.

To conclude, although compulsory work placements or study abroad may create financial and emotional challenges, but they may create long-term benefits for students' careers and personal growth. For this reason, I believe the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant and supported by personal experience, such as the internship example. However, the development is somewhat uneven; while the benefits are well-explained, the discussion of disadvantages is slightly more superficial. To reach a higher band, ensure that both sides of the argument are explored with equal depth and that the conclusion effectively synthesizes the main points rather than just restating them. Overall, the response is well-focused and maintains a clear position throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the benefits, the drawbacks, and the proposed solutions. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude' are used appropriately to guide the reader. However, there is some minor mechanical use of transitions, and referencing could be more varied. The flow is generally smooth, and the relationship between ideas is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'compulsory' and 'professionalism', but there are also some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'adverse background' (likely meaning 'diverse') and 'gaining great a experience'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word choice and collocation to reach the band 7 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('students becomes', 'universities provides') and article usage ('a opportunity', 'anew culture'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and preposition errors, such as 'suffer with' instead of 'suffer from'. While the meaning is always clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and article usage would significantly improve the accuracy.

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

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