Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-01

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)

Nowadays there is a discussion going on that the university pupils should include a period of time studying abroad or doing a work placement, I believe that the overall advantages would outweigh the disadvantages.

Clearly, there are a number of benefits of studying abroad and having a placement while studying such as gaining practical exposure of what the pupils learn theoretically, and also, they gain the understanding that the knowledge they attain in the classroom is not easily applicable as there are a lot of hurdles in the path of a successful set-up.

Additionally, the pupils may also learn critical skills which are quite crucial in gaining placements after their graduation (such as; effective team work and time management skills) which make them more appropriate candidates for their designated jobs.

Similarly, studying abroad can expose students to different educational systems and cultures, helping them become more independent and adaptable which overall improves their confidence and they also become mentally strong.

Moreover, the students may also have a broader perspective, as there are some things which are normal in the foreign countries which are not in their native ones, this brings them to the conclusion that there are many cultural differences and they become more open-minded.

However, inclusion of these types of courses, would not be ideal for every pupil as the cost of travelling and affording the tuition fees would be a major concern for the low-income families. Also, there are some single parents who are backed by their children in some daily house-hold works, it would also not be really appropriate for them to have their children distant. Therefore, if universities make the inclusions compulsory, financial assistance would make it possible for these types of people and even work opportunities would bring these groups on a similar level.

To sum up everything that has been stated above, while studying abroad or completing a work placement may involve additional costs and difficulties for some undergraduates, these challenges cannot be compared to the valuable practical experience, the students gain. Therefore, universities should incorporate such opportunities into undergraduate education while providing financial assistance and placements.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout, suggesting that the advantages of studying abroad or doing work placements outweigh the disadvantages. You have successfully covered both sides of the issue, discussing the practical and personal benefits alongside financial and domestic drawbacks. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others. For instance, the discussion on gaining practical exposure and cultural awareness is extended well, whereas the points regarding single parents and low-income families are somewhat generalised and could benefit from deeper elaboration. To reach a higher band, all main ideas should be equally well-supported and extended with more specific examples or nuanced arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

Your essay demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. You effectively utilise cohesive devices such as 'Clearly', 'Additionally', 'Similarly', and 'However' to link your ideas and guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points, such as the benefits of studying abroad versus the potential disadvantages. Nevertheless, referencing and cohesion can sometimes feel a bit mechanical or repetitive in structure. To move up to the next band, you should aim for more flexible and seamless transitions between sentences, ensuring that referencing words like 'these' and 'such' consistently connect ideas with absolute clarity.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You have used an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'practical exposure', 'open-minded', and 'financial assistance'. However, there are noticeable limitations in lexical precision and word choice. Phrases like 'successful set-up' and 'daily house-hold works' are slightly unnatural or contain minor collocation issues. Additionally, there are minor awkward phrasings such as 'bring these groups on a similar level'. Your spelling is generally accurate, but upgrading your lexical control by choosing more sophisticated, precise academic vocabulary and natural collocations will help you achieve a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating a reasonable ability to construct multi-clause sentences, such as '...while studying abroad or completing a work placement may involve additional costs and difficulties for some undergraduates, these challenges cannot be compared to...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly with comma splices and relative clauses, such as in '...normal in the foreign countries which are not in their native ones...' and '...students gain, the students...'. These errors do not impede communication, but they occur with enough frequency to keep the grammar at this level. Incorporating a wider variety of error-free complex structures with tighter punctuation control will elevate your score.

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