Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Majority of dwellers believe that all University courses should limit of time spent studying abroad or work experience . Although the policy has some drawbacks , I believe it offers significant educational benefits through work experience that clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

To commence with, there are myraid of benefits for students. It helps students combine academic knowledge with practical experience. Studying abroad as well as working in a different environment also promote personal growth. Living independently encourage students to become more responsible. In this way they can manage their expenditure. For example, microbiology learners do internships in laboratories to become familiar with their work, however they gain knowledge about bacteria and research work. As a result, universities are able to prepare students for future careers.

On the other side, there are some drawbacks for learners. Many undergraduate students may struggle due to low income and the high cost of studying abroad. Smaller institutions may not have enough internship opportunities for students. It can be difficulty for students to support themselves independently while living abroad because many internships do not offer paid positions.

In conclusion, although requiring undergraduates to study abroad and face difficulties, the long term advantages for students academic professional growth are more significant.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of including study abroad or work placements in undergraduate courses, fulfilling the basic requirements of the task. However, the length requirement is not met, as the response falls short of the two-hundred-and-fifty-word minimum. The student presents a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but the ideas are limited and under-developed. For instance, the paragraph on benefits mentions several points such as personal growth and financial management, but they are only briefly stated without thorough extension or robust supporting examples. The microbiology example is relevant yet remains somewhat basic.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, moving logically from an introduction to body paragraphs discussing benefits and drawbacks, and finally a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to signal progression, such as 'To commence with' and 'On the other side'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes mechanical or slightly faulty, and the progression within paragraphs can feel disjointed. For example, transitioning between personal growth, financial management, and the microbiology example lacks smooth connective tissue. Paragraphing is present and helps structure the essay, but the overall logical flow between sentences could be tighter to achieve a higher standard.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate their main ideas about university courses and work experience. There are attempts to use less common items, such as 'expenditure', 'undergraduate', and 'internships'. However, noticeable errors in word choice, word form, and collocation are present, which occasionally cause slight hesitation for the reader. Examples include writing 'limit of time' instead of 'a limited amount of time' and 'myraid of benefits' where spelling and article usage are flawed ('a myriad of'). Phrases like 'microbiology learners do internships' show a limited vocabulary range that restricts precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as concessive clauses ('Although the policy has some drawbacks...') and relative clauses. However, there is a limited range of structures successfully controlled, and attempts at complex sentences frequently contain errors. Frequent mistakes in grammar, plurals, and prepositions are noticeable, including 'Majority of dwellers believe' (missing article), 'limit of time spent' (incorrect pattern), 'encourage students' (subject-verb agreement error with 'living independently'), and 'It can be difficulty' (adjective-noun confusion). These errors require the reader to decode the meaning in places.

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

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