Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03

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 5.0)

It is often argued that all universities provide opportunities to all undergraduates' student to spend a time to studying abroad or for a work placement. Although, this requirement may create financial burden to their families and disturb mental peace. I believe that its advantages outweigh the disadvantages. because it provides practical exposure and new academic challenges.

The main advantages for the undergraduate's student to studying abroad to gain more practical exposure instead of traditional classroom learning. This type of experience is mandatory especially for the student who wants to pursue jobs with their education so that they can develop some keen skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving. for instance, a biotechnology student who gain practical knowledge in their subjects by working to real world laboratory experience. Along with their academic studies student gain practical exposure because of that

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 140 words. Consequently, the development of ideas is severely limited. While you state a position, the arguments are underdeveloped and the essay ends abruptly mid-sentence. To improve, you must expand on your points with specific examples and ensure you address all parts of the prompt in full. The current length prevents a full exploration of the advantages and disadvantages, leading to a significant penalty under Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay shows some attempt at logical organization, such as using 'Although' to introduce a counter-argument and 'The main advantages' to start a new paragraph. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the text. Cohesive devices are used, but they are sometimes mechanical or incorrectly placed, such as starting a sentence with 'because' or using 'for instance' without a complete supporting clause. Paragraphing is present, but the second paragraph is unfinished, which disrupts the overall flow and structure of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'practical exposure', 'academic challenges', and 'biotechnology', but there are frequent errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'undergraduates' student' (should be 'undergraduate students') and 'gain more practical exposure instead of traditional classroom learning'. The limited length restricts your ability to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary, including less common lexical items or idiomatic expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'spend a time to studying' (should be 'spend time studying') and 'student who gain' (should be 'students who gain'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with sentence fragments like 'Along with their academic studies student gain practical exposure because of that'. These errors demonstrate a lack of control over complex sentence forms, which is necessary for higher band scores.

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

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