Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Its is a controversial discussion that all universtiy undergraduate couse should include a period of time spent to study abroad or to do a work placement. I believe that the advantages of this idea would outweigh the disadvantages beacause it may help students to develop skills and gain practical experiene.

On the one hand, every stududent cannot afford the expences for studying aborad and accommodation. some puipls may also homisick beacuse they go far from their families. Additinaly, such students who go abroad for study have to face the difficulites of other language which makes learning stressfull. In such situation, many students face anxiet and depression and lost their hopes.

On the other hand, including a period of time to spend studying abroad is more benificial than its disadvantages because forign students have the opportunity to learn different culture and tradition of other countries. They can explore new places which help them to get relax. Furthermore, they are able to make international friends. One major skill they can improve a lot is communication skill. They can become more confident.

Furthermore, one of my cousins completed a six-month intership in enger

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You state a clear view in the introduction: the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you give relevant points on both sides, including cost, homesickness, language difficulties, cultural learning and communication skills. However, the response addresses the task only partially because these ideas are mostly listed rather than explained or supported. The final example begins, “one of my cousins completed a six-month internship in enger,” but is unfinished, so it does not show what the placement taught the cousin or support your position. The response is also below the required 250 words. Develop fewer points in more detail, explain how study abroad or placements benefit undergraduates, and complete a relevant example before concluding with your judgement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph presenting disadvantages, and a paragraph presenting advantages. “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” help signal this contrast, while “Furthermore” introduces an additional point. However, progression is limited because ideas are presented as a sequence of short claims without enough explanation linking them to the main argument. The final paragraph starts an example but stops abruptly, leaving the essay without a complete ending. Some connections are also unclear, such as the move from exploring new places to feeling relaxed. Build each body paragraph around a main idea, explain its consequence, and use a complete example to create a clearer progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “accommodation,” “international friends,” “communication skill,” and “anxiety and depression.” These choices make the general subject understandable. However, the range is limited and several spelling errors or imprecise expressions make the writing less clear, for example “universtiy,” “expences,” “homisick,” and “forign.” Some phrases are also unnatural, such as “get relax” and “learn different culture and tradition.” Aim to check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for education and work experience. More precise wording, such as describing students as gaining “practical experience” or developing “intercultural awareness,” would help express your ideas more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer structures, including a reason clause with “because” and a relative clause in “new places which help them to get relax.” This shows some effort to vary sentence forms. However, the range remains limited, and frequent errors in sentence construction, agreement, articles and verb forms can make parts difficult to follow. For example, “every stududent cannot afford the expences” needs a more accurate subject construction, and “many students face anxiet and depression and lost their hopes” shifts awkwardly between present and past forms. The opening sentence also has an unclear grammatical structure. Practise building accurate sentences with one main clause and a clearly connected supporting clause, then check agreement and tense consistency.

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