Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

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)

An opportunity to study abroad or do a job relevant to their respective field for a certain length of time should be added in the courses for undergraduate students in all universities.

I am of the view that this has more pros to it than the cons. I beleive that having a practical experience such as an internship or a job helps you understand your field more in depth and connects you with what you are studying in a more deep manner. If we are practically implementing what we are learning at universties in real life, it helps us grow more interest in that line of work. For instance, I worked as an intern for six months during my course which significantly improved my knowledge and gave me alot of practical exposure that helped me after graduating.

As for studying abroad, it seems as a great way of building communication skills, self confidence, and social skills to me. It helps bring out a better version of the person as they interact with people of various backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs which contributes heavily to their growth as a human being. By talking to a variety of individuals, they learn to respect other's opinion regardless of their own belief. In addition to growing as a human, they can learn more about their own course from people with similar work backgrounds that are far more expereinced in that field.

After taking everything into account, I woud say that the advantages of adding this to the course definitely out numbers the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both studying abroad and work placements, and clearly takes a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant and supported with some explanation, such as the personal example of completing an internship and the points made about personal growth and intercultural communication. However, the development of ideas tends to remain somewhat general rather than being fully extended, particularly regarding the disadvantages side of the argument, which is barely acknowledged beyond a brief concluding mention. While all parts of the task are addressed, the depth of discussion is characteristic of a Band 6.0 performance, where some aspects are more fully explored than others.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs dedicated to different aspects of the prompt, and a brief conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the discussion of work placements from studying abroad. However, cohesive devices are somewhat basic or occasionally mechanical, such as 'As for studying abroad' and 'In addition to growing as a human'. Referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression within paragraphs could be tighter and more varied to achieve a smoother flow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate their ideas effectively. There are some attempts at less common lexical items and phrases, such as 'practical exposure', 'interact with people of various backgrounds', and 'work backgrounds'. However, there are a few spelling and word-choice errors, notably 'beleive' instead of believe, 'alot' instead of a lot, and the phrasing 'out numbers' instead of outnumbers. While these do not impede communication, they reflect typical Band 6 characteristics where spelling and lexical precision show occasional inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional structures like 'If we are practically implementing what we are learning...'. There are several instances of good control over complex forms. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'it seems as a great way' instead of 'it seems to be a great way' and the agreement error in 'the advantages... definitely out numbers'. Despite these errors, meaning is generally clear and communication is rarely impeded, supporting a solid Band 6.0 rating for grammatical range and accuracy.

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