Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-02

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)

Every university undergraduate programs should include one semester that provides study in another country or doing a work placement. There are both pros and cons of this, such as one of the merits of the opportunity of studying abroad is international exposure of teaching and gaining worldwide knowledge. In contrast, some of the demerits are high paying costs and short- term social or cultural adjustmental stress. This essay will discuss both the views followed by my perspective.

On the one hand, major advantage is it gives international exposure. In other words, this is a one time chance obtained that can put more value to student's study and also helps them to gain different learning and methods that can be implemented further. For example, a student of medical field, can use the learning and methods acquired while studying or during a placement. It can be useful for further research and implementation in their own country. Furthermore, it also helps to gain worldly knowledge of other culture and social life.

On the other hand there are some disadvantages of this trend, such as higher fee cost. This includes not just study resources but the expense of living, food, flight fare and some other. For instance, some families are not able to pay because of their situations. In addition, the change can also impact on the student living short term abroad for study or work purpose by bringing social or cultural adjustments that can lead to stress.

In conclusion, one side there are merits such as international exposure and gaining knowledge, while some demerits are high costs and adjustmental stress. Thus, in my opinion it a great opportunity of going abroad but it cannot be achieved by every student.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad or completing a work placement, and concludes with a clear personal position. However, some ideas are under-developed and lack sufficient extension. For example, while the writer mentions merits such as international exposure and demerits such as higher costs and adjustmental stress, these points are stated rather than fully elaborated with deeper explanations or comprehensive examples. The medical student example is a good start, but it remains brief. To reach a higher level, the response needs to present more fully developed ideas and provide deeper elaboration on how these factors impact students.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical structure that makes the writer's position clear throughout. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with distinct introduction, body, and concluding sections. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'On the one hand', 'In other words', and 'In conclusion', which successfully guide the reader through the arguments. However, the response sits at this level because some cohesive referencing feels slightly mechanical, and the progression between certain sentences could be smoother. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim for more flexible and less formulaic transitions between ideas, ensuring that every sentence flows naturally into the next without relying on repetitive transitional phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating the main points regarding study abroad and work placements. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'international exposure', 'demerits', and 'cultural adjustmental stress', showing an effort to use a varied lexicon. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and word formation, such as 'paying costs' instead of tuition fees, 'adjustmental' instead of adjustment, and 'flight fare' instead of airfare. These inaccuracies reflect a limited range and occasional awkwardness that prevent the score from being higher. To improve, the student should focus on natural collocations, precise word forms, and expanding their repertoire of topic-specific vocabulary used accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt to handle varied grammatical structures. Sentences such as 'This is a one time chance obtained that can put more value to student's study' show an effort to combine clauses. However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'Every university undergraduate programs should include', missing articles ('a medical field' instead of the medical field), and awkward prepositional usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to keep the writing at this level. To progress, the student must work on sentence construction accuracy, article usage, and ensuring subject-verb agreement across complex structures.

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

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