Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-28
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 this modern era, all undergraduate institutes should include courses in which some part of studies are taught in abroad or giving an oppartunity for placement year that allows to gain some hands-on experience is becoming and interesting topic. In my opinion, I strongly believe there are nemurous benefits over the draw-back. In this essay I will explain the benefits of it.
To commence with, among all the study courses at higher institute should have the practical works and study exchange program that would enhance learner skills and prepare them to fulfil the needs of industries after completing their degrees.There are several significant outcomes of exchange programs in which student completes their same semesters in their institute and then move to another country for gaining more knowledge and it also having the chance exchange culture as well they adapted new study methods. Therefore, it is essential for learners to having some period of their studies in other countries.
Moreover, It is essential for Science and technology students that their courses should have practical work in their final year of course. It could be placement year that allows them to experience the theoratical information that was studied at institute into real world. For Instance, In mechanical Engineering course at University of Technology Lahore, Pakistan. allows their students to gain practical experience at manufacturing industries in their final year.
In conclusion, Although it is significantly important to gain hands-on experience during studies, however, their
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by arguing in favor of study abroad and work placements. However, the essay is incomplete, ending abruptly in the conclusion. This failure to finish the final paragraph significantly impacts the development of the argument. Furthermore, the response is under the 250-word minimum, which is a negative factor. While the position is clear, the lack of a full conclusion and the limited development of the disadvantages (which were mentioned but not explored) prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure all parts of the prompt are balanced and that the essay is fully concluded.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'To commence with' and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, the logical progression is hindered by the incomplete nature of the text. Paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is a fragment, which disrupts the overall flow. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between exchange programs and new study methods is slightly disjointed. To improve, focus on ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that the essay reaches a logical, complete conclusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several spelling errors, such as 'nemurous' (numerous), 'oppartunity' (opportunity), and 'theoratical' (theoretical). The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on repetitive phrasing. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated or academic collocations limits the score. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to education and professional development, and proofread carefully to eliminate basic spelling mistakes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include 'some part of studies are taught in abroad' (should be 'abroad'), 'it also having the chance' (should be 'it also provides the chance'), and 'learners to having' (should be 'learners to have'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the misuse of commas and capitalization after full stops. The sentence structure is often clunky, which reduces the overall clarity of the argument.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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