Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-09
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)
Undergraduate University period is the golden period for students where they acquire multiple skills and experience through engaging in different extracurricular activities and events. One of the experience that truly shape the undergraduate experience is getting to have opportunity to work abroad and get real world exposure to industry. Students relying on studying throughout their courses is important but it is also necessary to motivate students to get experience with other cultures, understanding diversity meeting different people and different mindsets. This helps students to analyze their their expectations and help them shape their experience positively around them practically rather than just focusing on theoretical knowledge in courses. Students going on international trips as a student for example going in exchange programs, studying in a completely different environment boosts their confidence while getting exposure to real world scenarios on how students live and make living for their university life and give them advantage to stand out in related industry with their experience and learnings that they acquire during that time. Although there are risks associated for parents to send their children abroad along and doubt how will they manage when they are unaware of the cultural diversity and norms but getting to experience and learn from them is a plus point than not going.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the benefits of studying or working abroad. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the argument. While the position is clear, the ideas are somewhat repetitive and lack specific, well-developed examples. The discussion of the disadvantages is very brief and lacks the necessary detail to provide a balanced view. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more concrete examples and ensure you meet the minimum word count to allow for full development of your ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is written as a single paragraph, which negatively impacts the coherence and cohesion. A successful IELTS essay requires clear paragraphing to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. While there is a logical flow of ideas, the lack of paragraph breaks makes the text feel dense and difficult to navigate. Additionally, the use of cohesive devices is limited; the essay relies on simple transitions. You should use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'on the other hand') to connect your ideas more effectively and structure your essay into distinct paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. You use some relevant terms like 'extracurricular activities' and 'cultural diversity', but there is repetition of basic words such as 'experience' and 'students'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'make living for their university life'. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and synonyms to avoid repetition. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you express your ideas with more sophistication and clarity.
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 readability. For example, 'One of the experience that truly shape' should be 'One of the experiences that truly shapes'. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'analyze their their expectations' (repetition) and 'as a student for example going in exchange programs'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring your complex sentences are constructed accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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