Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29

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)

It is often argued that the undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement. Although I think these types of requirements place practical and financial pressure on the student, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

One major benefit of studying abroad or working abroad is that students develop skills that are difficult to obtain in a traditional classroom. Living in a different country requires students to communicate with people from different backgrounds and cultures, adapt to different situations, and become more independent. A work placement allows students to gain practical knowledge and gives them the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical environment. For example, during my internship as an information technology student working in an information technology company as an intern project manager, I can get experience of implementing project management skills from planning to deployment while only on work placement. Other than that, I gain soft skills like communicating, how to work with a team, and how to handle deadlines.

One of the other advantages is in terms of future career prospects; studying abroad and work placement can help students find relevant jobs after their graduation. Most of the time employers ask for relevant experience, which can be gained by these kinds of work placements. Studying abroad can also help in making connections that can help you in your professional life.

On the other hand, when we talk about disadvantages, there can be many disadvantages as a student. One of them being financial stress. Students already pay huge tuition fees while doing their undergraduate degree; adding to that, a requirement to study abroad can be impossible for students to manage. Another disadvantage is finding a work place during studies. Location can cause significant discomfort for students. For example, while finding my internship, I mentioned earlier I stumbled on this hurdle myself. In my city there were no information technology-related internships. I had to travel to Lahore, about three hundred kilometers away, to do work placement.

Neither can these disadvantages be mitigated by universities offering fully funded opportunities to study abroad in partner universities, and COMPAS offers placement programs to students more easily and directly.

In conclusion, although compulsory overseas study or work placements could create financial and practical challenges, the development of professional, social, and personal skills would provide substantial long-term benefits. Therefore, the advantages would outweigh the disadvantages, provided that universities offer flexible and affordable options.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task thoroughly and presents a clear position throughout. The writer explores both the advantages, such as practical skills development and enhanced career prospects, and the disadvantages, including financial stress and geographical hurdles regarding work placements. Ideas are generally well-extended and supported with relevant personal examples, such as the student's internship experience as an IT project manager and travelling to Lahore. However, the conclusion and counter-argument points could have been slightly more sophisticatedly integrated to reach the highest bands. Overall, the task response is well-realised, fully developing a well-reasoned argument that balances the pros and cons before arriving at a justified conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction to benefits, drawbacks, and the final conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'One major benefit', 'Other than that', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively. While referencing is mostly clear, a minor awkwardness appears in the transition towards the end involving 'COMPAS', which slightly disrupts the flow, but overall cohesion is managed well and the essay is coherent from start to finish.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision. Phrases such as 'traditional classroom', 'practical knowledge', 'theoretical knowledge', and 'career prospects' show an ability to use appropriate topic-related language. Less common lexical items are attempted, including 'subsequent long-term benefits' and 'geographical hurdles'. There are occasional slight inaccuracies in collocation or word choice, such as 'work place' instead of 'workplace' and 'doing their undergraduate degree', but these errors do not impede communication and the writer's meaning remains clear throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional structures, as seen in 'provided that universities offer flexible and affordable options.' There is a good variety of sentence structures throughout the essay. While there are some minor grammatical errors and awkward phrasing—such as 'It is often argued that the undergraduate courses should include' (unnecessary article 'the') and 'Neither can these disadvantages be mitigated' (awkward inversion)—these errors do not impede communication. The majority of complex sentences are formed correctly, and punctuation is handled adequately, supporting a solid command of grammar.

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