Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Some people believe studying abroad is a great opportunity for bachelor’s students and some other ones oppose the statement. I think there are a lot advantages as compared to disadvantages.
The main advantage is when students get this kind of prospect he explores the world like an international exposure which is really important to meet the world requirements like someone will get the opportunity to get a job or anything like that. Another benefit is they knows about the culture and traditions. For Example: A Pakistani student gets a chance to study 1 semester after half graduation in a Turkish university. When he will go there he knows about the food, Turkish tradition and history as well. He will make friends there, make relations and when he back in the country you will see a lot of positive changes. The student will make himself self-believer and confident person as he done all the stuff on his own which make him an independent person.
On the other hand there are bit of problem and the first one is the financial issue because its quite difficult for the students to pay the whole finances itself and if the university pay, it will obviously from the pocket of students in terms of fee because its too difficult for the institute to pay for all the ones. Other issue is the mental stress due to the difference in the course work, study level and different nature as well. These things make the scholar to think about these type of disadvantage before making a decision.
In conclusion, I think there pros and cons of foreign study in the mid of undergraduate level. However, the benefits outclass the cons and make students and independent, courageous person with the benefits of different kind of exposure and opportunities to make relations.
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 the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages, and a clear position is maintained throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While the example of the Pakistani student in Turkey is relevant, the explanation of the disadvantages, particularly the financial aspect, is repetitive and lacks depth. The argument could be strengthened by providing more nuanced reasons for why the benefits 'outclass' the cons. The conclusion is a bit brief and does not fully synthesize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more sophisticated reasoning.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The main advantage', 'Another benefit', and 'On the other hand', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical, and the flow between sentences is occasionally interrupted by grammatical errors. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'when he back in the country you will see a lot of positive changes', where the subject 'you' is used inconsistently. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express basic ideas. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'undergraduate', 'prospect', and 'international exposure'. However, there is a lack of precision and some awkward collocations, such as 'make relations' instead of 'build networks' or 'form connections', and 'self-believer' which is not standard English. The range is somewhat limited, and the repetition of simple words like 'things' and 'stuff' suggests a need for more academic synonyms to improve the sophistication of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede clarity. Subject-verb agreement is a recurring issue, for example, 'he knows' instead of 'he would know' and 'he done' instead of 'he has done'. There are also errors with articles and prepositions, such as 'in the mid of undergraduate level'. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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