Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-04

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)

In today's rapidly evolving world, the concept of whether a period of time should be spent studying or working in a foreign country should be included in all university undergraduate courses has become a matter of considerable public interest, prompting widespread debate regarding its advantages and disadvantages and the impact on society.

While some people firmly believe that it can be very beneficial for the students and can help them gain experience of real world scenarios and situations, some argue that it'll make the cost of the courses quite hefty and does not hold much significance.

I strongly believe that the pros of inclusions will outweigh the cons as there are several advantages of such potential future inclusions. People who'll be going abroad either for studies or for work purposes would definitely gain practical knowledge and perhaps will add to their experience as well. Working or studying with unknown people in an city you've never lived in before teaches co-operation, co-ordination and networking.

On the contrary, with these advantages, many disadvantages also come hand-in-hand. Including such future prospects can lead to increments in fees which the poor sections of the society might not be able to afford. Additionally, Government can make developments in our own country to provide people with opportunities such as work experience and not to forget, there are many people in our country who do not want to shift or move abroad and such incentives may not be appealing to them.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that advantages would outweigh the disadvantages. This is primarily because of the experience they obtain is crucial for understanding the people and the world better even if it would cost us more. Consequently, embracing this perspective would benefit individuals and also contribute in the long-term development and overall well-being of the society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, presenting a clear position throughout that the advantages of mandatory study or work abroad outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas presented are relevant, satisfying the requirements for a solid mid-level score, yet some aspects exhibit the characteristics of higher band achievement alongside typical limitations. For instance, the main body paragraphs successfully outline both the benefits, such as practical knowledge, cooperation, and networking, and the drawbacks, including increased tuition fees and government alternatives. However, certain ideas remain somewhat under-developed rather than fully extended; the discussion regarding government alternatives and student reluctance lacks concrete examples or deeper elaboration. To reach the next level, the writer needs to provide more fully elaborated explanations and thoroughly support every main point with robust, specific examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. The overall arrangement is coherent, starting with a comprehensive introductory paragraph that sets up the debate, followed by well-defined body paragraphs discussing opposing sides, and a distinct concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'While some people', 'On the contrary', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is managed sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. Referencing is generally clear, contributing to a smooth flow of ideas. To achieve higher than this level, the use of cohesive devices could be made even more seamless and varied, avoiding any mechanical transitions and ensuring that paragraph transitions are completely unobtrusive.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, providing a sufficient range to discuss the topic with some flexibility. The writer attempts less common vocabulary, such as 'considerable public interest', 'rapidly evolving world', and 'long-term development', demonstrating a reasonable awareness of style. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and phrasing, such as 'increments in fees' instead of 'increases in tuition fees' and 'in an city' instead of 'in a city'. These minor errors do not impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the arguments. To progress to a higher band, the student should incorporate a wider variety of sophisticated, less common lexical items with precise collocations and maintain stricter control over word forms and spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating the writer's ability to construct multi-clause sentences such as conditional and concessive structures like 'While some people firmly believe that it can be very beneficial...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including article omissions and minor prepositions errors, such as 'experience they obtain' missing a relative pronoun or preposition. Nevertheless, these errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear. To reach the next band, the writer must increase the proportion of error-free complex sentences and demonstrate a tighter command over article usage, punctuation, and grammatical agreements across more intricate sentence patterns.

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

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