Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

University students should require all undergraduate students to spend some time either study Abroad or completing a work placement. Although this could create some difficulties, I believe the advantages of this approach outweigh the disadvantages.

One major advantage is that students can gain practical skills that cannot always be developed in a classroom. A work placement, for example, allows students to apply their academic knowledge to real life situations. They can improve their communication, teamwork and problem solving skills,

While also learning what employers expect. Consequently, graduates may have better employment opportunities after completing their studies.

Studying abroad can provide valuable personal benefits. Living in another country exposes students to different cultures and ways of thinking. It can make them more independent, adaptable and confident. They may also improve their language skills and develop a broader understanding of the world. For example, a business student who spends a semester in Germany could learn how companies operate in a different cultural and economic environment.

However, making these experiences compulsory could cause financial and practical problems. Studying abroad can be expensive, especially for students from low income families. Some students may find living in a foreign country stressful. Similarly, suitable work placements may not be available for everyone. Nevertheless, universities could reduce these problems by offering scholarships, financial assistance and a wide range of placement opportunities.

In conclusion, although overseas study and work placements may involve some difficulties , their benefits are greater. They help students develop practical skills and become more independent and improve their future employment prospects. Therefore I strongly support this requirement.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The arguments regarding practical skills and personal development are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the business student in Germany. The counter-argument regarding financial and practical constraints is also addressed, and the student provides logical solutions to these issues. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarises the main points. The ideas are relevant and sufficiently extended to meet the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'One major advantage', 'Consequently', 'However', and 'Nevertheless' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be slightly more sophisticated to enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student demonstrates an ability to use topic-specific terminology such as 'work placement', 'academic knowledge', 'employment prospects', and 'economic environment'. There is some attempt to use less common vocabulary, and the word choices are generally precise. While the range is adequate for a high score, it could be further improved by incorporating more nuanced collocations or idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a high level of accuracy throughout the text, with most sentences being error-free. The student uses complex structures effectively, such as conditional ideas and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'Although this could create some difficulties...'). Punctuation is generally accurate, although there is a minor error with a space before a comma in the conclusion. Overall, the grammatical control is strong, and errors are rare and do not impede communication.

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