Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

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 argued that all bachelor's degree programmes should require students to spend a certain period either studying in another country or gaining practical work experience. This will be quite significant for the learners to get an opportunity of learning skills while completing their courses. In this essay, I will discuss its advantages and disadvantages.

On the one hand, the main reason that all university bachelors degree programmes should include a period for learning abroad is that the students will get an opportunity to gain confidence, and real world experience. They would be able to learn valuable skills in the related course that can be helpful for them in job market. Consequently, they can make a huge amount of money if they become successful in finding a job related to their course. For example, if a student is doing acca, he must go to United Kingdom while studying because this tour would help him to gain skills of accountancy particularly as how to earn well.

On the other hand, it may have some negative effects on a few students if universities make these tours compulsory. One reason can be a financial pressure if students cannot pursue studying overseas. Moreover, work placements may not be suitable for every subject in a region. So, if someone does not get an employment related to his course, it will have a diverse effect on his mind. For instance, if he is unemployed and has to pay for accommodation, transport and food so it can disadvantage him if he is from low income family. That's why educational sectors should made these tours optional rather than mandatory.

To conclude, these tours can be beneficial for some students who want to become professional. However, if someone do not get job of his subjects then it can be sick for him to study overseas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding ACCA students going to the UK is a bit narrow and lacks a broader perspective on the educational value of international exposure. The conclusion is slightly underdeveloped and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. While a position is clear, the depth of analysis could be improved by exploring the long-term career benefits or the specific nature of work placements more thoroughly. The essay meets the requirements but remains at a surface level in its argumentation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the logical flow within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition between the financial pressure argument and the point about work placements in the second body paragraph is a bit abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas could be more sophisticated to achieve a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'make a huge amount of money' and 'it can be sick for him' are informal or imprecise. The student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'mandatory' and 'practical work experience', which is positive. However, there is a reliance on basic descriptors, and some collocations are unnatural. To improve, the student should focus on using more academic synonyms and refining word choices to better suit the formal tone of an IELTS essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'educational sectors should made these tours' (should be 'make') and 'if someone do not get' (should be 'does'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor issues with comma usage. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy and range.

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

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