Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-01

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 the current era, there is a considerable debate on the topic that most students do not go abroad or find their dream job after graduation due to lack of knowledge. Some people believe that there should be a lecture included in the university courses for studying abroad or for having a work placement. I firmly believe that benefits of this activity have more weight than cons and i will discuss that in my essay.

One of the main advantages of that lecture is that it help the students to make a decision that either they have to study abroad and make a career there or to do a job here in their country. Students are really out minded regarding that. They don't have a clear mindset because of the lack of mentorship. The learners should be guided about how they can find a relevant field job after their graduation. It will aid a lot as a lot of students waste their time after higher studies as they lack the directions.

In addition to this, studying abroad is a much complicated process. For instance, the information regarding scholarships, finding a appropriate university that suits their profile is a hectic work for most of the students. So these kind of classes will allow the students to get any information form their instructor so they can apply easily by themselves despite wasting their money on fake consultants. On the other hand, students having mind to do work will be able to find Jobs in many companies as they will have plenty of information regarding that.

To sum up, every university should focus on such ideas as they help students a lot in establishing their career and reaching to their future goals. Additionally, students will be able to apply abroad in as many universities with confidence.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by arguing that the advantages of including study abroad or work placement programs in university curricula outweigh the disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the benefits of mentorship and avoiding 'fake consultants,' the arguments remain at a surface level. The prompt asks for a discussion of whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but you do not explicitly address the potential disadvantages (e.g., cost, logistical challenges, or academic disruption) to provide a balanced view. To reach a higher band, ensure you explore the counter-arguments briefly before refuting them to demonstrate a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition to this,' 'For instance,' and 'To sum up' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'Students are really out minded regarding that.' The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one without relying on repetitive structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You use some basic or slightly inaccurate collocations, such as 'hectic work' instead of 'a daunting task' or 'a complex process.' Phrases like 'out minded' are non-standard and impede clarity. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology. For example, instead of 'find their dream job,' consider 'secure suitable employment.' While your meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and occasional word-choice errors limits your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally affect readability. Examples include 'there is a considerable debate on the topic that most students do not go abroad' (awkward phrasing), 'it help the students' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'despite wasting their money' (incorrect use of 'despite'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are issues with capitalization (e.g., 'i' instead of 'I'). To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without losing clarity.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.