Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18

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 6.5)

Some people are of the thought that all university undergraduate courses should also include a specific amount of time spent studying or working abroad. This scenario has multiple advantages and disadvantages simultaneously. The advantages include new learning opportunities and a chance for exploration. On the other hand, the disadvantages encompass the negative feelings alongwith financial burdens.

The mere thought of going to another country excites a person. One of the most academically important advantage is the opportunity that comes with going abroad. Undergraduate students are exposed to a whole new world that grooms them and shapes them in ways that are not possible if they refuse to go. It is crucial for their development and for the broadening of their horizon to step out of the pond they have lived their entire life in. Advanced instruments, technology and interactive teaching methods can help the students with their career. It can be observed that laboratories in countries like Japan and d China are more advanced than universities in Pakistan. Therefore, a student going there for academic purposes will gain valuable insights. Furthermore, a new country brings along with it self a completely new culture. Going abroad will not only help the students acomplish their dreams but also help them see what the world has to offer. For example a student that has lived their entire life in the same city, in the same neighbourhood, when exposed to a new culture will get a chance to socialise with new people and boost their own confidence.

As opposed to the benefits, there are some significant disadvantages as well since nothing can be all rainbows and sunshine. A major disadvantage is the emotional impact of scuh a move which may put the student in a much worse situation and can fireback on them. Moving to a new place even for a short period of time is not easy and the young individual may experience negative emotions such as home sickness, anxiety and depression. For instance, coming back to our previous example of a student having spent their entire life in the same area. Moving such a student abroad may put them in a bad headspace since their environment has changed rapidly rendering them useless to adapt quickly. In addition to this, another disadvantage is the financial cost of such an endeavour. If the universities do not cover the expenses of going abroad, such initiative becomes a curse rather than a blessing. this is beacuse not all the students attending a university come from the same financial background. For example, in Pakistan majority of the people live at poverty line or below the poverty line. Children belonging to such families cannot bear the financial weight and are unable to go.

In conclusion, we can see that to every situation there are numerous aspects affecting it. While the financial and emotional disadvantages are significant, the advantages, such as immersion in new culture and opportunity to widen ones perspective, outweighs the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of including study abroad or work placements in undergraduate courses, and presents a clear position in the conclusion. The ideas are generally well developed and supported with relevant examples, such as comparing laboratory facilities in Pakistan with those in Japan and China. However, there is a tendency to over-generalize in certain arguments, such as the sweeping statement regarding students living at the poverty line, which prevents the response from reaching the highest band. Nevertheless, the main task requirements are thoroughly fulfilled, showing a good understanding of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information and ideas are arranged coherently, with distinct paragraphs dedicated to the introduction, advantages, disadvantages, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively to link ideas, such as 'Furthermore', 'As opposed to the benefits', and 'In addition to this'. Paragraphing is used appropriately and supports the flow of the essay well. While referencing and substitution are generally clear, occasional slightly mechanical transitions prevent it from reaching a higher descriptor, justifying a solid band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, such as 'grooming', 'broadening of their horizon', and 'financial burden'. Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation (e.g., 'bad headspace', 'immersion in new culture'). However, there are some minor word-choice errors and spelling mistakes, such as 'alongwith', 'acomplish', 'scuh', and 'beacuse'. Despite these occasional inaccuracies, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the intended meaning clearly without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an ability to construct longer sentences with subordinate clauses ('Moving to a new place even for a short period of time is not easy and the young individual may experience...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, but a number of grammatical and punctuation errors persist throughout the text, including missing capitalization after periods ('this is beacuse'), missing articles ('a student that has lived'), and minor punctuation issues. These errors do not impede communication, placing the response firmly in the band 6 territory.

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