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)
Working while studying teaches alot of dicipline to a student as well as it helps to understand the work ethics too. I totally agree that the advantages would outweigh because of many reasons. Studying abroad and working both should be part of the of undergraduate course period.
The most concerning and the challenging part which has now become a trend is to focus on to the studies rather than focusing on practicle knowledge. Students and universities both will get an advantage of this working period is included in undergraduate course. Students will be get advantages in their work life as they will be able to show it as their work experience, and universities will be able to showcase the portfolio of such students for upcomming promotions. A study was conducted few years back states that the students who has worked while they were studying gets an edge at grabbing a new job oppourtunity. Since, adding the tenure of working and studying abroad will helps students and universities in many ways.
On the contrary, there is a strong reason to believe that the tenure of working and studying aborad should not be included in the main course as there is a possiblity that students may lose focus on the core studies while working. For example a research was held in a university that states students who were working while studies got less then the average marks in their final exams. Overall, many individuals believe that it is not beneficial to include it main course.
In conclusion, it is beneficial for both universities and for students to include the tenure in undergradute course as it will help universities to save resources and students will be get advantages of experience and knowledge
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention benefits like work experience and portfolio building, the arguments are repetitive and lack depth. The counter-argument regarding academic performance is introduced but not fully explored or refuted effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is supported by more detailed explanations or specific examples rather than general statements. The conclusion is also quite brief and merely restates the introduction without adding a final synthesis of your argument.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or inaccurate. For instance, the transition 'Since, adding the tenure...' is grammatically awkward and does not effectively link the preceding ideas. Additionally, some sentences within paragraphs feel disconnected, making the progression of ideas feel slightly disjointed. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'nevertheless') more naturally to connect your sentences and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have an adequate range of vocabulary to communicate your ideas, but there are frequent spelling errors (e.g., 'dicipline', 'practicle', 'upcomming', 'oppourtunity', 'aborad', 'possiblity') and some word choice issues. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. You tend to repeat simple phrases like 'get advantages' and 'working while studying'. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and ensure you proofread carefully to eliminate basic spelling mistakes, which can distract the reader and lower the overall quality of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'Students will be get advantages', 'a research was held... that states students who were working while studies got less then the average marks', and 'it is not beneficial to include it main course'. These errors involve verb tense, preposition usage, and sentence construction. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.
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.