Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05
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)
It should be mandatory for the bachelor's degree students to give them a chance to travel to muliple countries during their studies to learn their some subjects with the international students, so that they could explored cultural values of other countries. Also given them a period of time with their education to be aware of the value of money by earning.This may limit other students who are came from poor family to purchase the ticket for another country, however i think the advantages outweighs the disadvantages.
On the one hand, exploring the undergraduate education aboard or worked with studies had negative impact on some students because no each student can afford to the ticket to studying aboard. Moreover, doing job with studies is difficult for them specially for girls, they got a fear that something will happens with them if they went out. For instance, in our conservative society girls are not allowed to went out or to moved to other country for their education.
On the other hand, studying courses with the onternaional students gaves the students to explore the cultural values of other countries, also it expends or makes their degree stronger because it had more value then the degree that they got in their own country. It allowed them to get job easily.Additionally, working with studies made a student financial independent, they get to know abou the practical world. For example, i got degree from the national university but my sister had studied in UK, she got job within one month This had more positive impacts ,so their are advantages associates with this then disadvantages.
In conclusion, studing aboard is hard for every students dur to multiple reasons like financial burden or societial pressure. However, it also gave students to become more financial freedom and get the job easily after the completion of their bachelors degree.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages, and a clear position is maintained throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention financial barriers and cultural exposure, the arguments lack depth and specific, well-explained examples. For instance, the mention of your sister's experience is a good start, but it is not fully integrated into a broader argument about the benefits of international study. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed point that directly supports your thesis. The conclusion is a bit repetitive and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Additionally'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the transition 'Also given them a period of time' at the start of the essay, which lacks a clear subject. Furthermore, the flow between sentences is occasionally hindered by grammatical errors, making some transitions feel abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the logical progression of your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is often repetitive and lacks precision. You use basic terms like 'get job' or 'make their degree stronger' instead of more academic alternatives. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'muliple', 'aboard' (used instead of 'abroad'), 'onternaional', and 'societial'. These errors do not completely impede communication, but they do limit the score. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary related to education and employment, and pay closer attention to spelling and word choice accuracy.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('advantages outweighs', 'there are advantages associates'), incorrect verb forms ('could explored', 'are came from'), and missing articles or prepositions ('afford to the ticket', 'got degree'). These errors are frequent and occasionally require the reader to re-read to understand the intended meaning. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, before attempting more complex structures.
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.