Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16
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 5.0)
Nowadays, many individuals consider that university learners should utiized few time studing abroad or completing a work placement as part of their undergraduate education. although this requirements could create some difficulties, i believe that the advantage would outweigh the disadvantages.
on the one hand, one major advamtage of studying abroad or undertaking a work placement is that students can gain practical experience . university education often foucses mainly on theorical knowledge . whereas, working in a real organisation allows students to understad how their knowledge can be applied in the workplace.for explin, a business student who works in a company can learn about communication teamwork and problem solving.
on the other hand , there are some disadvantages to this policy.The main concern is the financial burden. travelling to another nation paying for acommodation and covering daily expenses can be expensive .Furthermore, few learners may find it challenging to leave their families and adapt to completly new atmosphere.
In conclusion , i consider that studying abroad or completing a work placement can involve financial and personal difficulties.moreover, universities should provide these opportunities while also offering financial support to students who need it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad or completing a work placement, taking a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Relevant ideas are presented, such as gaining practical experience and facing financial burdens. However, the response is critically under-length at only 191 words, failing to meet the minimum requirement of 250 words. Consequently, the ideas are under-developed and lack sufficient extension and support to reach a higher band. Because the length requirement was not met, the score is capped at Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a clear overall structure with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing both sides of the argument, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'on the one hand', 'on the other hand', and 'In conclusion', though some referencing and transitions feel slightly mechanical. Progression is generally logical, moving from the benefits to the drawbacks. However, due to the short length, the overall flow and development are restricted, limiting the score to Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common terms such as 'practical experience', 'financial burden', and 'accommodation'. However, there are numerous spelling errors ('utiized', 'studing', 'advamtage', 'foucses', 'theorical', 'understad', 'explin', 'acommodation', 'completly') and word-form inaccuracies ('this requirements'). While communication is not heavily impeded, these frequent errors and the reliance on basic vocabulary prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'a business student who works in a company can learn...'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and capitalization ('i', 'on the one hand'), missing punctuation, and awkward phrasing ('few time studing', 'this requirements'). While some sentences are error-free, the density of basic mechanical and grammatical mistakes places this response firmly at Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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