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)

In the current phase, it is often argued that all university students should be required to spend some time studying abroad or undertaking a work placement as part of their university education. However, it has some drawbacks. I believe that the advantages of this approach outweigh the disadvantages.

On one hand, it is believed that universities should offer certain benefits to students because studying abroad gives students opportunities to experience different settings and education systems. Additionally, work placement enables students to become more independent and more capable of handling real-world responsibilities. For instance, my cousin, who graduated, undertook a work placement in Dubai. During his placement he had to manage his accommodation, finances and other responsibilities. With this, he became more confident and capable of managing his real world challenges. Therefore, such opportunities are beneficial for students.

On the other hand, it has been observed that such opportunities may be advantageous for only certain groups of students while plenty others may face certain financial difficulties which stop them from fulfilling their dreams. Furthermore, when students work in different locations far away from their hometown, they often face challenges such as homesickness, depression, anxiety, and dietary issues. This leads them to suicide and doing ordinary jobs.Thus, these financial and personal challenges may create significant difficulties to students who have to live and work away from their hometown.

In conclusion, although financial and personal challenges create certain problems, I believe that universities should provide more opportunities for students to study abroad or undertake work placements as these experiences enable students to become more independent and adaptable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad or doing work placements, and clearly states a personal position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Ideas are relevant, supported by examples such as the cousin's experience in Dubai, and extended adequately. However, the development of the disadvantages contains a slightly extreme leap when mentioning that personal challenges lead directly to suicide, which reflects a tendency to over-generalise or lack nuance. Despite this minor flaw, the main requirements of the prompt are fully covered throughout the text, aligning well with the Band 7 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: an introduction stating the writer's stance, a body paragraph dedicated to the advantages, a body paragraph covering the disadvantages, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Additionally', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, and referencing (e.g., 'such opportunities', 'this approach') remains clear. Although some transitions feel slightly formulaic, the overall arrangement is coherent and meets the criteria for Band 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'undertaking a work placement', 'homesickness', 'adaptable', and 'responsibilities'. While the vocabulary is generally clear, there are minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'doing ordinary jobs' instead of 'accepting low-skilled work' or 'taking up routine employment', and the somewhat dramatic phrasing regarding severe personal challenges. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and communication is never impeded. These features reflect a solid Band 6.5, rounded to 6.0 based on precision limits.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The essay features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or participial elements such as 'when students work in different locations far away from their hometown' and 'although financial and personal challenges create certain problems'. There is a good variety of clauses and general control over punctuation. Grammatical errors are relatively infrequent, though some sentences contain slightly awkward phrasing or minor tense inconsistencies. The majority of simple sentences are error-free, and complex structures do not cause severe comprehension difficulties for the reader. This performance comfortably fits into Band 6.5, demonstrating good overall grammatical control.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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