Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22

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)

Every university must be add a period of time which will utilize in foreign study or doing a work placement for undergraduate courses. Although there are several benefits of this viewpoint which is knowing about other's culture, I am in its disapproval.

On the one hand, some masses holds the positive outcomes for this viewpoint because of knowing about other's culture. This is due to fact that many people thinks that when any scholar get chance to study in abroad then they get capable for enhancing their knowledge about the other nation and culture also get able to adapt that environment in their life. For example, mostly learners who take the experience by studying in abroad can get many white collar job opportunities. Therefore, people can increase their knowledge level by studying in foreign.

On the other hand, I believe in its disagreement due to financial condition. To elaborate, some educatees are not able to study in other nation just because of financial problems, many students complete their study on the behalf of scholarships by which they cannot afford these facilities. Another major reason is parents agreement. To justify, many parents are very concious about their child and they do not get permission from their parents for studying in abroad due to which they can feel lack of experience and education in their life. For instance, many students would not be get able to do higher study and they may be stay unemployment in their life. Therefore, obstacles can be created by studying in abroad in any student's life.

To conclude, even though people support the viewpoint that studying in abroad would be beneficial, I believe in its disapproval because of financial condition and parents agreement.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The candidate addresses the prompt and takes a clear position against mandatory study abroad or work placements. The response covers both sides of the issue briefly, mentioning cultural benefits before focusing on the disadvantages such as financial constraints and parental approval. However, the development of ideas remains somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the discussion on financial problems relies on general assertions without introducing robust supporting evidence or fully exploring the nuances of scholarships. Additionally, the reasoning regarding parental consent is overly generalized. While all parts of the task are addressed, the support is restricted and lacks the depth expected for higher bands. Therefore, a Band 5.5 is appropriate, as the ideas are presented with a clear stance but require fuller extension and more persuasive examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response features a recognizable paragraph structure, including an introduction, two body paragraphs representing opposing views, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude', which help guide the reader through the essay's organization. However, the overall progression is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For example, phrases like 'To elaborate' and 'To justify' are used repetitively and sometimes unnaturally. Furthermore, referencing is occasionally imprecise, leading to confusion regarding pronoun antecedents (e.g., 'many students complete their study on the behalf of scholarships by which they cannot afford these facilities'). Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion requires better logical flow. These issues align well with the Band 5.0 descriptors, showing some organization but lacking smooth progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used throughout the essay is limited and frequently repetitive. The candidate attempts some less common items such as 'white collar job opportunities' and 'financial condition', but word choices and collocations are often inaccurate or unnatural (e.g., 'Every university must be add a period', 'scholars get chance', 'educatees', 'parents agreement'). There are also recurring lexical errors such as 'stay unemployment'. The range is minimally adequate to communicate the basic argument, but noticeable errors cause occasional difficulty for the reader and reflect a restricted lexical repertoire. This performance is characteristic of Band 5.0, where the vocabulary allows for a simple message to be conveyed but falls short of the flexibility and precision required for higher levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and prone to frequent errors when attempting more complex formations. Numerous basic grammatical errors disrupt the reading flow, including subject-verb agreement issues ('many people thinks', 'student would not be get able'), incorrect prepositions ('study in abroad' instead of 'study abroad'), and awkward passive voice constructions ('may be stay unemployment'). Complex sentences are often faulty, and punctuation errors are noticeable. While the basic meaning can usually be deciphered, the high frequency of non-systematic and basic errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. These persistent structural inaccuracies place the 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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