Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04

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 6.0)

Every undergraduate program in university should have a set period of time spent abroad or have an internship. One of the major benefits of working or studying in another country would be the opportunity of learning new skills as well as having different social interactions that will make students more confident. However, the downsides are experiencing difficulty adjusting to the new environment and having negative impacts on their health.

One of the advantages of spending sometime abroad is learning new skills and implementing those skills in practical life. This experience of being in a new environment will improve their cognitive ability of how they perceive new challenges and how effectively they handle them, this will enhance their problem solving ability. Moreover, moving abroad for some time will have a positive impact on their social interaction skills as they will be able to adapt and make new friends. They will learn to communicate more effectively and with people from different backgrounds. For instance, students who travel to different places have broader thinking and more knowledge of places they travel to.

Studying abroad also comes with some drawbacks as well. One of the prominent obstacles that students face is lack of adapting and having difficulty settling abroad. Living alone will have some detrimental effects on their health and they can even suffer from anxiety or depression. Furthermore, the feeling of not belonging to that country will make them feel awkward and can have negative impact on their performance. For example, one of my classmates had difficult times improving her grades abroad while she was one the best students in her hometown.

In conclusion, I believe the advantages of studying abroad outweigh the disadvantages as the benefits includes multiple opportunities and useful social interactions with students of other countries. Meanwhile, the downsides involve difficulty in settling in a foreign country and the feeling of awkwardness.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, such as the development of cognitive and social skills, and the counter-arguments regarding health and adjustment are also presented. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the point about 'cognitive ability' is mentioned but not fully explained or supported with a concrete example. The conclusion is a bit repetitive, merely summarizing the points rather than synthesizing them. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more depth in your supporting arguments and ensure that the link between your examples and your main argument is more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the advantages from the disadvantages. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and there are occasional issues with referencing, such as the comma splice in the second paragraph: '...handle them, this will enhance...'. Improving the variety of your linking words and ensuring that sentences are connected with more sophisticated punctuation or conjunctions would improve the flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'detrimental effects', 'cognitive ability', and 'prominent obstacles'. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and conveys your meaning well, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'implementing those skills in practical life' or 'lack of adapting'. To improve, focus on learning more precise collocations and idiomatic expressions that are appropriate for an academic context. Expanding your vocabulary to include more nuanced academic terminology will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are recurring grammatical errors that prevent a higher score. For instance, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'the benefits includes' (should be 'include') and 'one the best students' (missing 'of'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly awkward in their construction. You have a good foundation, but you need to focus on proofreading for small errors and increasing the variety of your complex sentence structures to demonstrate better control over your grammar.

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

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