Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-27

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 5.0)

It is often argued that there should be an additional period in university curriculum in which students learn about higher education in abroad and job placements. Although this development offers several benefits, I believe that its benefits far greater than its drawbacks.

One of the major advantages of teaching about studying abroad is that it offers employment and career prospects to students. If students are aware about the options they have after their graduation, they may be more likely to prepare themselves and focus about their career prospects. For example, many universities, who prepare their students for campus and off campus placements during their graduation are more likely to secure their employment after completion of graduation. Therefore, it is essential for learners to acquire knowledge about their future prospects.

However, there are also certain drawbacks associated with this trend. One significant drawback of including additional period in children's timetable is that it places academic pressure on students. Students may feel stress about career, which may also effect their academic performance. In addition, by including extra burden about career and

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is significantly under-length at 179 words, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. This severely impacts the development of ideas, as the essay is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence at the end. While you establish a clear position in the introduction, the arguments are underdeveloped. You mention benefits and drawbacks, but the lack of sufficient word count prevents a full exploration of the topic. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are addressed with fully extended arguments and examples, and you must complete the essay within the required length constraints.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay shows a basic attempt at logical organization with an introduction and body paragraphs. However, the abrupt ending makes it impossible to evaluate the overall progression or conclusion. You use some cohesive devices like 'Although', 'One of the major advantages', and 'However', but the flow is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the text. Paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is left unfinished, which disrupts the coherence of the piece. To improve, focus on completing your thoughts and using a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'curriculum', 'employment', and 'academic performance', but there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'higher education in abroad' (should be 'studying abroad') and 'focus about their career' (should be 'focus on'). There is also some repetition of words like 'career' and 'prospects'. To improve, aim to use more precise collocations and a broader range of academic vocabulary to express your ideas more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'its benefits far greater than' (missing a verb, should be 'are far greater'), 'aware about' (should be 'aware of'), and 'effect their academic performance' (should be 'affect'). While these errors do not always impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that every sentence has a clear, functioning verb.

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

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