Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30

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)

Some people argue that undergraduate courses offered by universities should include a certain period spent studying in foreign countries or doing a practical work. Although it might have some drawbacks, according to my perspective, it has a quite few merits like students would have a great foreign exposure and understand diferrent cultures better.

One compelling argument in the favour of its advantages is that making pupils learn courses abroad would allow them to secure more competitive and high paying jobs. Furthermore, exposure to different cultures and working enviornment equips students with amazing skills such as adaptability and cross-cultural communication. For instance, a biomedical engineering student who completes his internship in poland may learn new and innovative techniques which may be beneficial for their future employer. In addition these experiences can ehance problem solving and decision making skills of students which are necessary for practical life.

Conversely, critics argue that not all students can financially afford the expenses associated with studying abroad and work. Looking at this issue, universities should implement scholarship programs and do collaboration with foreign companies to mitigate these financial barriers. For instance, universities should offer exchange programs and waivers on the course fees. In addition, some people say that this would takeaway their academic focus and disrupt their learning schedules negatively.

To put it in a nutshell, although there are a few drawbacks associated with making students learn their undergraduate courses and doing work placement abroad, however, the merits of doing it outweighs the disadvantages. I believe by doing this students will become more confident and aware of different perspectives around the globe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad or doing a work placement during undergraduate courses, and presents a clear position throughout. The main ideas are relevant, such as gaining foreign exposure, enhancing job prospects, and encountering financial and academic hurdles. However, some ideas are slightly under-developed; for example, the explanation of how internships build problem-solving skills remains somewhat generalized. The student provides relevant examples, such as the biomedical engineering student in Poland, which supports the argument well. Overall, the task response aligns well with the requirements for Band 6.5, leaning towards Band 7 as the position is clear and all parts of the prompt are directly addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a clear overall arrangement with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing both sides, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points of discussion. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the text, such as 'One compelling argument', 'Furthermore', 'Conversely', and 'To put it in a nutshell'. However, some cohesive links feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and referencing is occasionally loose, such as the pronoun use in 'this would takeaway their academic focus'. Progression is generally logical, moving smoothly from advantages to disadvantages and finally to a well-stated conclusion. This performance fits comfortably into Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common lexical items such as 'practical work', 'compelling argument', 'cross-cultural communication', and 'mitigate these financial barriers'. However, there are a few spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'diferrent' instead of 'different', 'enviornment' instead of 'environment', 'poland' instead of 'Poland', 'ehance' instead of 'enhance', and 'takeaway' instead of 'take away'. Despite these slips, communication is never impeded, and the vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the intended meaning effectively. This reflects the characteristics of a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating the ability to construct subordinate clauses using markers like 'Although', 'which', and 'that'. There are instances of good grammatical control, particularly in complex sentences such as 'Furthermore, exposure to different cultures and working enviornment equips students with amazing skills such as adaptability and cross-cultural communication.' However, some errors persist, such as article omission and prepositions ('in the favour of' instead of 'in favor of', 'afford the expenses associated with studying abroad and work'), along with occasional punctuation issues. These errors do not impede communication, placing the response solidly at Band 6.0.

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

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