Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Some people believe that university students should spend

time on studying abroad or gaining work experience during their degree. I

believe that the advantages of this approach are greater than disadvantages

because learning education from overseas provides exposure and experience from

workplace builds your practical skills.

On the one hand, when pupils get exposure of education of another country, they

may be familiar with other culture such as their language and festivals, and

build their network. They may get idea of higher education, which may create

opportunities for them. For example, a student may benefit from exchange programme,

where students can apply for one semester exchange. They can get a chance to

complete their one semester abroad. Furthermore, when students apply for

internship along with the studies, they may learn practical skills that how

education implement in workplace. They may be acquainted with different types

of software, which will be helpful for future employment. For example, an

accountant may learn how to do bookkeeping on Xero software, this experience

will create better opportunities for them. Therefore, students may learn

different traditions and become easily adapt the environment of companies.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of getting

foreign education. If students may not be achieve scholarship, they may not be

afford the expenses of travel, accommodation and most importantly education. People

with low-income family may finds difficulty covering these expenses. For

example, a student fees of semester is 500 dollars, and his family income is

not enough to pay his fees. In addition, when students work and study

simultaneously, they may affect their studies because they may not pay enough attention

to get good grades. They may not manage their time for other activities as well

during their bachelor’s programme, such as, recreational activities.. However, if

a student becomes discipline in life and utilize time properly, it may be

manageable to spend time on job without affecting their grades. Also, students

may apply in other scholarships until they may receive it.

In conclusion, although some students may not be afford the expenditures of international

education, and may not be able to balance their time for work, I believe

students may get exposure of education abroad by applying for more scholarships

and enhance their soft skills to get better employment opportunities by being

disciplined.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, covering cultural exposure, networking, and practical skill acquisition, as well as counter-arguments regarding financial and academic pressures. However, some points are slightly under-developed; for instance, the explanation of how internships specifically translate to future employment could be more nuanced. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points and reinforces the initial stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that examples are more fully integrated into the argument rather than just listed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the use of some cohesive devices is occasionally mechanical or slightly repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, though some transitions between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother to improve the flow of ideas. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the progression of the argument is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'exchange programme', 'internship', and 'bookkeeping'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'learning education' instead of 'gaining an education' and 'become easily adapt' instead of 'easily adapt to'. While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the score. Using more precise academic collocations would elevate the lexical quality of the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and articles (e.g., 'If students may not be achieve scholarship', 'may not be afford the expenses'). These errors are noticeable and occur throughout the text. While the student attempts complex structures, the control over these is inconsistent. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of modal verbs, as these are recurring issues that affect the accuracy of the writing.

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