Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-06
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 is generally observed that every higher education institute have to add a period in which they teach first degree student about studying and work placement in abroad to first degree student. Although, the development has both merits and demerits, yet I believe that benefits are far more than drawback.
On the one hand, there are numerous advantages of learn about international study and work placement. First and foremost is that, they can get information about practical experience. To explicate it, if student learn this education while undergraduate course then they because can enhance the communication and problem solving skill which is beneficial for upcoming future job. For instance, engineering students gain international about an internship as well as foreign study and due to this, they n face difficulties if they have to dream to get oversea education. Apart from this, they become do independent and sup responsible. To elaborate, student become self-reliant and learn time management and decision-making skills which is very crucial skill in studying abroad. Therefore, extra period of studying abroad is beneficial for students.
On the hand other hand, there is also a negative impact of this lecture. It may create stress and burden. To make it clear, if students learn this extra subject they they are unable to give more attention to their subjects which are added in their curriculum and ouathey man may anxiety and pressure. For example, if students obtain information about extra subject while which is not related to their course they then it create mental burden which is not good for their overall bell being. Hence, this do trend also is disadvantageous for some pupils.
To conclude, even though, there is a drawback of this development because it become pupil stressed, still I believe that benefits cur stf surpass the demerits because student gain practical skill, improve employability and grow personally.
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 and maintains a clear position throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention practical experience and personal growth, the explanations are repetitive and lack specific, well-developed examples. For instance, the example regarding engineering students is unclear and does not effectively illustrate how an internship helps them overcome difficulties. To achieve a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are fully extended with more logical depth rather than just restating the same concepts. The position is consistent, but the arguments could be more sophisticated to better persuade the reader.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost,' 'Apart from this,' and 'To conclude' to link your points. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as 'On the hand other hand.' Additionally, some sentences lack flow due to grammatical errors, which occasionally makes the relationship between ideas feel disjointed. Improving the variety and precision of your linking words will help the essay read more naturally and improve the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is often repetitive and lacks precision. You rely on basic terms like 'information,' 'extra,' and 'good.' There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'do independent' instead of 'become independent' and 'bell being' instead of 'well-being.' While you attempt to use some academic vocabulary, the errors in word formation and collocation are noticeable. To improve, focus on learning collocations (words that naturally go together) and using more precise academic synonyms to express your ideas more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'every higher education institute have to'), word order, and missing articles. There are also several instances of fragmented or confusing phrasing, such as 'they n face difficulties if they have to dream to get oversea education.' While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and sentence structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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