Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

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 often argued by some people that, studing in undergraduation courses at university, one period should be spent on further education and practical work placement. Although some people might consider it a disadvantage, I strongly believe it is beneficial. Not only because it helps to get a job and practical experience, but also to get help plan for further education.

There are multiple benefits associated with having one period for practical work and planning for study abroad. Firstly, getting a job is considered a leading benefit of this development. As a large number of students do not get the right job after completing their graduation. Take an example of the Netherlands, most students, after completing their degree at university, get a job very soon in their relevant field, mainly because the government there made an initiative in 2000, that universities must have one lecture on students' future planning. Thus, it's proven that it is a positive development.

Secondly, getting physical experience is another major benefit. As due to a lack of experience, most companies do not hire young people. For instance, in Japan, it is expected that by the year 2034, most young people will have practical experience along with theoretical knowledge in universities, because their official authorities claim it through the press. Hence, this mega benefit I believe has the potential to make this development a positive one.

Finally, planning for further education in this lecture is considered another positive development through this topic. As most students with a lack of proper counseling about future education can not reach to their potential.

To sum up, even though offering one extra course to students might have some drawbacks too, but I believe that the benefit it brings in terms of helping them get a job and practical experience, but also helping them plan for further education.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing whether the advantages of studying abroad or doing a work placement outweigh the disadvantages, taking a clear positive stance. The writer identifies key benefits such as employment prospects and practical experience. However, the ideas are somewhat repetitive and rely on underdeveloped reasoning and generalized examples, such as the claims regarding the Netherlands and Japan. While all parts of the prompt are addressed, the support lacks depth and extension. This places the response comfortably at Band 6, where the task is addressed, but some ideas remain under-developed or unclear.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction and conclusion, along with distinct body paragraphs using chronological markers such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Finally'. However, paragraphing and logical progression are occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For instance, the final sentence of the conclusion is grammatically incomplete and falters in cohesion ('...but I believe that the benefit it brings in terms of helping them get a job... but also helping them...'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall flow between ideas shows elements of mechanical sequencing. This performance aligns with the Band 6 descriptor, featuring a coherent overall arrangement with occasional faulty cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'relevant field', 'theoretical knowledge', and 'proper counseling'. However, there are notable word-choice errors and spelling inaccuracies throughout the text, such as 'studing' for 'studying', 'undergraduation' for 'undergraduate', and 'physical experience' intended as 'practical experience'. While these lexical shortcomings do not completely impede communication, they reflect a limited and sometimes inaccurate grasp of collocations and word forms, which is characteristic of Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing introductory subordinate clauses such as 'As a large number of students do not get the right job...'. However, grammatical accuracy is weak, featuring frequent errors in punctuation, sentence structure, and fragments, such as the dangling sentence in the final paragraph starting with 'To sum up, even though offering one extra course...' which lacks a main clause. Other errors include prepositions and tense usage. Because these errors occur frequently and occasionally cause some difficulty or hesitation for the reader, the writing fits the Band 5 descriptor for grammar.

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