Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Nowadays, university education is no longer limited to just reading books; practical experience and global exposure have become equally important. Some people argue that studying abroad or completing a work placement should be made a compulsory part of every undergraduate course. In my opinion, the advantages of this approach far outweigh the disadvantages.

There are several significant benefits to this approach. First of all, when students study in a foreign country or work in an organization, they gain valuable real-world practical experience. This enhances their skills and significantly increases their chances of getting hired in a competitive job market. Secondly, living in a different culture builds students' confidence, helps them meet new people, and teaches them independence. For instance, students who complete professional internships learn how a corporate office environment works, which gives them a huge advantage over traditional graduates.

On the other hand, there can be a few drawbacks and challenges. The biggest obstacle is usually financial cost. Not every student has the funds to afford living expenses abroad. Additionally, if work placements are poorly managed, students might waste valuable time, which can negatively affect their overall academic progress.

However, these challenges can easily be managed if universities provide financial assistance, scholarships, and partner with reputable companies.

In conclusion, despite some minor financial and logistical hurdles, studying abroad and doing work placements offer tremendous long-term benefits because they effectively prepare students for their future professional careers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of making study abroad or work placements compulsory, and clearly states a position in the introduction that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Main ideas are extended and supported, such as mentioning practical experience and financial costs. However, the response falls short of the official 250-word minimum requirement, containing only 237 words. This under-length issue prevents the development of more thorough examples and directly impacts the task achievement score, pulling it down into the Band 6 range.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The text is well-organized with a clear overall progression. The essay begins with an introduction, moves through well-defined body paragraphs covering benefits and drawbacks, and concludes with a logical summary. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader through the arguments, such as 'First of all', 'Secondly', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. Referencing is generally clear, resulting in a cohesive and easily readable piece of writing that fits comfortably into the Band 7 criteria.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary for the task. Words and phrases like 'compulsory part', 'competitive job market', 'corporate office environment', and 'financial assistance' show a good attempt at less common lexical items related to education and employment. There are occasional general words or slight over-simplifications, but word choice does not impede communication. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate throughout, aligning well with the expectations of a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The student successfully incorporates subordinate clauses and conditional elements, such as 'when students study in a foreign country or work in an organization, they gain...' and 'if universities provide financial assistance...'. Grammatical control is generally quite high with a frequent number of error-free sentences, and punctuation is handled correctly. While the range of complex structures is somewhat constrained by the overall length of the essay, the accuracy of the grammar produced easily meets the standard for Band 7.

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

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