Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

It is argued that every university undergraduate should be required to spend some time studying abroad or completing a work placement. I believe the advantages of this approach would outweigh its demerits because it can provide students with valuable practical experience, several opportunities and broader cultural awareness.

The main benefit of studying or working abroad is that students can develop skills that are difficult to acquire in a classroom. Living in another country encourages young people to become more independent, adaptable and confident when dealing with unfamiliar situations. Similarly, work placements allow undergraduates to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations and develop professional skills. For example, an engineering student who completes an internship in a company can gain practical experience with equipment and workplace procedures that cannot be fully taught at university.

Another significant advantage is the opportunity to develop cultural awareness. Students who live abroad are exposed to different languages, traditions and ways of thinking. This can make them more open-minded and better prepared to work in increasingly international workplaces. However, making such programmes compulsory could create financial difficulties for some students. Travel, accommodation and living expenses may be unaffordable, particularly for those from low-income families. In addition, students with family responsibilities or health issues may find it difficult to spend an extended period away from home.

Nevertheless, these disadvantages can be reduced if universities provide financial assistance and offer flexible alternatives, such as local work placements or shorter overseas programmes. This would ensure that students from different backgrounds have equal opportunities to benefit from these experiences.

In conclusion, although compulsory overseas study or work placements may create financial and practical challenges, their benefits in terms of independence, employability and cultural understanding are greater. Therefore, I believe universities should include such opportunities in undergraduate courses, while providing suitable financial support and flexibility.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout the essay. The arguments are well-developed, with specific examples provided, such as the engineering student internship, which strengthens your position. You also acknowledge the counter-arguments regarding financial and personal challenges, which demonstrates a balanced approach. The ideas are relevant and logically extended, meeting the requirements for a high band score. To reach the highest level, you could further elaborate on how the 'flexible alternatives' you mentioned might be implemented by universities to show even greater depth of thought.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits and the potential drawbacks is smooth, using appropriate cohesive devices like 'However' and 'Nevertheless'. The use of referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct points. The flow of the argument is natural, and the relationship between sentences is easy to follow. The essay is well-structured, and the use of cohesive devices is neither mechanical nor over-used, contributing to a very readable and coherent piece of writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic context. Phrases such as 'theoretical knowledge', 'increasingly international workplaces', and 'financial and practical challenges' show a good command of collocation. You use some less common items effectively, such as 'demerits' and 'adaptable'. While the vocabulary is precise and fits the context well, it is consistently accurate rather than highly sophisticated or idiomatic. To move to a higher band, you could incorporate more nuanced academic collocations or precise academic verbs to further elevate the tone of the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures, such as conditional-like structures ('if universities provide...') and relative clauses ('Students who live abroad...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and grammar is strong. There are no significant errors that impede communication. The sentence structures are varied, which keeps the reader engaged. To achieve a higher score, you could aim to include a wider variety of advanced grammatical structures, such as inversion or more complex passive constructions, to demonstrate even greater flexibility in your writing.

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

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