Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-08

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)

All university undergraduate cources should include a period of time utilize studying abroad or doing work placement. In my viewpoint, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages mainly because of gain experience, explore other culture and earn money.

On the one hand, one of the major advantage from my viewpoint is gain experience which means when students utilized their time to studying in foreign country, they are easily gain a lot of experience about work and studies. Another significant benefit is explore other culture. This means that scholars are able to explore new places in other countries for inhance their knowledge and gain information about the culture. The chief merit of this statement is earn money. To justify, students commence work in foreign countries for fulfill their daily needs which assist to become independent.

On other hand, one of the major drawback is distract from studies. This is due to fact that when students are started to live in a foreign country their expenses are incremented and they felt distracted from their work and studies. Another major pitfall from my viewpoint is feel burdon. To elaborate, mostly students are not able pay their expenses easily that is why they feel burdon and this is become the major cause of stress.

To conclude, even though there are positive aspects that opposite the time spent studying abroads or doing work placement , the negative aspects are distract from studies and feel burdon. Therefore, the trend of studying abroad should continue as it can benefit the society and people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall view that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and you address both sides by mentioning experience, cultural learning and earning money, as well as distraction and financial pressure. These points are relevant, but the response only partly develops the task: it does not clearly distinguish studying abroad from a work placement, and several claims remain general. For example, “gain experience” is repeated without a specific explanation of what skills or opportunities students would gain. The conclusion also says the negative aspects are “distract from studies and feel burdon” but does not directly restate why the advantages outweigh them. Develop fewer points with concrete examples and make the comparison explicit throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. This gives the reader an overall route through your argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, particularly through repeated frames such as “one of the major…,” “Another significant benefit,” and “To justify.” Some links are also unclear: “even though there are positive aspects that opposite the time spent…” does not clearly express the relationship between the two sides. Use transitions that show contrast and consequence accurately, and connect each explanation directly to its main point. Clearer referencing and less formulaic sequencing would make the argument easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-relevant vocabulary, including “independent,” “culture,” “expenses,” and “stress,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices, forms, and spellings are inaccurate or unnatural, sometimes making the meaning difficult to interpret. Examples include “cources,” “inhance,” “burdon,” “the chief merit…is earn money,” and “the negative aspects are distract from studies.” Phrases such as “utilize studying” and “explore other culture” also do not fit naturally. Build a more precise set of expressions for placements and international study, and check spelling and collocations. Replacing repeated generic terms such as “benefit” and “major” with accurate alternatives would also improve flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences with explanations, for example, “This is due to fact that when students are started to live in a foreign country…” This shows an effort to connect ideas, but complex constructions are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to read. Examples include “students utilized their time to studying,” “they are easily gain,” and “students are not able pay,” where verb forms and sentence patterns are not controlled. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and clause construction, as in “one of the major advantage.” Practise building accurate basic sentences first, then add subordinate clauses while checking verb forms and agreement.

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

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