Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-02

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 6.5)

As global competition has been increasing at a fast pace, some argue that all university undergraduate courses should provide an opportunity to study abroad for a while or do a work placement. In my opinion, benefits of this trend are far more than the drawbacks. The following essay will examine pros and cons of overseas study or work before explaining my point of view.

On the one hand, work opportunities outside the country are extremely important for the holistic development of the students. Exposure to the global workforce can enhance their thinking abilities, communication skills and broaden their global perspective. For example, introducing global job placements in undergraduate courses like a software developer, an artificial intelligence can improve technical and digital literacy of the graduates. Another noteworthy aspect is, one can learn to respect cultural heritage and traditional methods of other countries. In the long run, they can improve their lifestyle by stepping out of their comfort zone and by learning management skills through living abroad.

Despite these advantages, some consequences are also there. A person can experience financial burden due to global opportunities, because working and living in other countries require large sums. Thereby, lower earning families cannot afford it. Furthermore, adapting a completely different environment is a challenging job. For instance, an introvert person cannot easily accept new places. Eventually, this can result in mental as well as physical exhaustion.

In conclusion, the disadvantages of studying or working abroad such as economic stress, depriving mental well-being etc. are negligible, because there are multiple positive merits, which can considerably enhance a person's quality of life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, clearly stating your position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The essay is well-structured, with distinct paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages. However, the development of ideas could be more robust. For instance, while you mention 'holistic development' and 'technical literacy', these points remain somewhat general. Providing a more concrete example of how a specific work placement directly impacts a student's career trajectory would strengthen your argument. You have maintained a consistent position throughout the essay, which is a key requirement for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader through your argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the discussion of financial burdens and the difficulty of adapting to a new environment could be better linked to create a more cohesive argument regarding the disadvantages. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the clarity of your response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'holistic development', 'global perspective', and 'financial burden' are used effectively. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'adapting a completely different environment' (should be 'adapting to') and 'depriving mental well-being' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, there is room for more sophisticated collocations and idiomatic expressions to reach the higher bands. Your spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several error-free sentences, and your grammar is generally reliable. However, there are some persistent minor errors, such as missing articles ('an introvert person' should be 'an introverted person') and prepositional errors ('adapting a' instead of 'adapting to'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the essay from reaching the highest band. Focusing on refining these small grammatical slips will help improve your overall accuracy.

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

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