Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-09

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)

Many people believe that the undergraduate students should spent part of their time either abroad or doing a work placement. Although this approach may have certain challenges, i believe its advantages ougweigh the disadvantages because it can improve their practical skills, broaden their prospectives and increases opportunities for future employment.

The first advantage of this is that students gain practical experience. As the universities provide theoretical knowledge, work placements allow them to apply what they learn in real-life situations. For example, an engenieering or medical student can get experience in their feilds while working alongside with professionals. It will make them confident and suitable for future employments.

Another major benefit is the chance to study abroad. While studying abroad they experience their cultures, traditions and language.In addition, they can improve their communication level and understand the educational system. They become more independent. These experiences broaden their perspectives.

However, there are also some disadvantages. Studying abroad or completing a work placement may increase the educational expense, making it difficult for students belonging to a middle class families. Furthermore, some students cannot adapt the environment. To overcome these challenges, universities should provide fianacial support, scholarships and counseling schemes.

In my oppinion, the long-term benefits are more than the drawbacks. Studends graduate with professional skills, greater confidence and understanding the goobal world.

In conclusion, although studying abroad or doing work placements may involve additional costs and temporary challenges, the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. Therefore, universities should incourage students to participate in these valueable opportunities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear from the introduction to the conclusion: you believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. You address both sides and give relevant reasons, including practical experience, cultural exposure, costs, and difficulty adapting. The engineering and medical placement example helps make the benefits concrete. This meets the task well, but some points are asserted rather than fully explained. For instance, you say students can “improve their communication level” and become more independent, but do not show how these gains affect their studies or careers. The disadvantages are also treated briefly. To strengthen the response, develop each main point with a specific consequence or example and explain more directly why the benefits outweigh the costs and adjustment difficulties.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for practical experience and overseas study, a paragraph on disadvantages, and a conclusion. The progression from benefits to drawbacks and then to your final judgement is easy to follow. Linking expressions such as “For example,” “In addition,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help signal the relationships between ideas. At times, though, the links feel formulaic, and some sentences are placed next to each other without showing their connection—for example, the points about culture, communication, educational systems, and independence. Use clearer referencing and explain how one idea leads to the next. A more developed comparison of the benefits and drawbacks would also make the argument’s progression more persuasive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary for the topic, including “practical experience,” “work placements,” “educational expense,” “scholarships,” and “professional skills.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and some topic-specific language is effective. However, spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural word combinations are noticeable, such as “engenieering,” “feilds,” “financial” misspelled as “fianacial,” and “improve their communication level.” There are also incorrect forms such as “prospectives” where “perspectives” is intended. These errors do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and control. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations, such as “improve communication skills” and “gain experience in their field,” to make your vocabulary more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although this approach may have certain challenges” and a conditional-style recommendation beginning “To overcome these challenges.” Most sentences remain understandable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are present. For example, “students should spent” should use the base form after “should,” and “it can improve … and increases” has inconsistent verb forms. In “students belonging to a middle class families,” the article and plural form do not agree. Some punctuation and spacing also need attention, particularly around sentence boundaries. Review subject–verb agreement, verb patterns after modal verbs, and article use, then proofread each sentence for consistent structure.

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