Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-07

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 5.0)

Some people believe that university students will go abroad for study while there are many advantages and also disadvantages. I believe that the students go abroad for study.

There are advantages of students who were go abroad for study. Firstly, students' education level was enhanced. Also, they have trained with practical skills. For example, after studying a medical degree they have no experience when they were not trained with their practical skills. After study abroad their CV stronger and more chances for better jobs in future. Secondly, students would explore foreign culture. And also, students' communication skills were enhanced. They were easily communicating with other peoples on their languages. Also, they have confidence in talking with foreign peoples. Public awareness also enhanced. Governments and universities were spend money for student and also go abroad for study. In that case universities were afford and manage students travel expenses. Students have many opportunities to build career. Students have more time to meet with foreign professors and enhance networking problems.

There are some disadvantages of this issue is that finance problems. Some students family background is not good. Their family do not afford students travel and also food expenses. Some students also build foreign culture. There is major drawback. After students go abroad in the middle of their education. Their education was disturbed. Also, students were tired with this busy routine.

In conclusion, there are more advantages then disadvantages for foreign study. So, I believe that students will go abroad for study.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You give a clear overall view that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you include relevant points about practical skills, employment prospects, cultural exposure and costs. However, the response only partially addresses the specific proposal: it does not clearly discuss both studying abroad and completing a work placement, and several points are asserted rather than explained. For example, “students’ education level was enhanced” and “Public awareness also enhanced” are not developed with clear reasoning or examples. The disadvantages of expense and disrupted study are relevant, but the claim that students “build foreign culture” is unclear. The response is also one word below the required minimum. To strengthen the answer, explain how each experience benefits undergraduates and support the main points with a specific example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph presenting advantages, a paragraph on disadvantages, and a conclusion. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “In conclusion” help readers identify the main sections. However, progression within the body paragraphs is uneven, and many ideas are added one after another without showing how they connect. The advantages paragraph moves from education and jobs to culture, government funding, career opportunities and networking, making its central line difficult to follow. “And also” and repeated uses of “Also” create mechanical linking, while references such as “In that case” do not clearly connect to the preceding point. Group related ideas and use clearer links to explain cause and effect.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “practical skills,” “foreign culture,” “communication skills,” “travel expenses,” and “networking.” This is enough to communicate the general subject, but the range is limited and several word choices or combinations are inaccurate or unclear. For instance, “enhance networking problems” does not express the likely intended benefit, and “build foreign culture” is difficult to interpret. Repeated phrases such as “go abroad for study” and “students” also make the writing sound repetitive. Aim for more precise expressions, such as “study overseas,” “gain international experience,” and “build professional networks.” Check that each chosen phrase conveys the intended meaning and fits naturally with the surrounding words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Most sentences use simple patterns, and the reader can generally identify your main points. There are attempts to give reasons and examples, but control of verb forms and sentence construction is inconsistent. For example, “students who were go abroad” combines incompatible verb forms, while “students’ education level was enhanced” does not maintain a suitable tense for a general argument. Agreement and sentence structure are also problematic in “Governments and universities were spend money” and “There are some disadvantages of this issue is that finance problems.” These errors recur and sometimes make relationships between ideas unclear. Practise accurate present-tense statements for general claims, and build complete sentences with a clear subject and verb before attempting longer structures.

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