Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

It is suggested that mostly undergraduate courses have to invest a duration on studying in other countries or on work placement. Students get logistical and financial burden by this requirement, I firmly believe that the practical skills, cultural insights, and enhanced employability gained from these experiences significantly outweigh any potential drawbacks.

On the one hand, enforcing experiential learning components can present undeniable difficulties. The primary concern is financial as organizing international travel incurs financial requirements for accommodation, travel, tutions and transports. The students from low-income backgrounds face challenges to pursue their degree due to lack of resources. Nowadays, most of the universities demands a semester must be studying abroad. For example, engineering students must have to travel internationally for a semester to understand the technical methods and to explore the culture and work environment.

On the other hand, going for work placement or for completing a semester has immense advantages for students as they become aware of international market trends, cultural adaptability and communications skills. They learn teamwork, solving problems and instant feedback through their work placements that has enormous benefits in their fields. Graduates who possess practical industry experience are highly sought by employer as they already understand the workplace dynamics.

In conclusion, the international travel enhance financial burden and logistical challenges for undergraduates but its drawbacks are countared by advantages. The competitive environment, cultural adaptability and workplace dynamics leads to them a bright and successful future ahead without any difficulties because they already become familiar of requirements of their fields and better prepared for them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, clearly stating your position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The essay is well-structured, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention financial burdens, the explanation could be more nuanced by discussing potential solutions like scholarships or government grants. Similarly, the example of engineering students is relevant but could be expanded to explain exactly how the experience translates into the 'technical methods' you mention. To reach a higher band, ensure your supporting points are fully explored rather than just listed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, and the progression of ideas is clear. You use standard cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing. For example, in the final paragraph, the phrase 'leads to them a bright and successful future' is slightly awkward and lacks a clear antecedent for 'them'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their subjects would enhance the flow and cohesion of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'experiential learning,' 'cultural adaptability,' and 'workplace dynamics.' However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors. For example, you write 'invest a duration' instead of 'spend a period' and 'incurs financial requirements' instead of 'incurs significant costs.' Additionally, 'countared' is a spelling error, and 'familiar of' should be 'familiar with.' To improve, focus on learning collocations—words that naturally go together—and proofread carefully to eliminate minor spelling and prepositional errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('most of the universities demands') and incorrect verb forms ('international travel enhance'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'to them a bright and successful future.' While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they indicate a need for more consistent control over basic grammatical rules and sentence construction to reach a higher band.

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

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