Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

As far as this topic is concerned, I would like to say that university graduate courses must consist of an event to go abroad for further exposure or a job should be provided to gain experience. For many people, this is a good initiative and some may thing that it would not be beneficial. In this essay, I will discuss some of the reasons why it is necessary for undergraduate courses.

First of all, undergraduate courses consist of information which should be implemented in real life. These subjects require practical implementation. This practical implementation can be done under supervision of consultation with scholars, professionals and by working on specific equipment.

Addition of this activity provides you with an international exposure and helps you gain skills related to real world projects. Moreover, doing work, like involving in internships, fellowships or part time jobs help you increase your skillset and boost your profile for multiple purposes.

On the other hand, there are little disadvantages as compared to advantages. To go abroad, a person has to go through many procedures and it takes a lot of time. Due to this, remaining courses get less attention because of all the time spent on one specific event. Simultaneously, doing job can consume a lot of time, and may effect your studies.

All things considered, going abroad during the undergraduate studies plays a vital role in the development of skills as well as joining a small job can help you increase your work and university profile. It can also lead to increase in responsibility and work load balance.

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 practical learning and possible disruption to studies. The examples of internships, fellowships and part-time jobs are relevant to the work-placement option. However, the task asks about studying abroad or completing a placement, and the discussion of studying abroad is brief: “international exposure” is mentioned, but its benefits are not explained with a specific reason or example. The disadvantages are also asserted rather than explored, and the conclusion introduces “work load balance” without showing how this supports your position. Develop each main point with a clear explanation or example, and make the comparison between benefits and drawbacks more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, supporting paragraphs, a paragraph on disadvantages and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “First of all,” “Moreover” and “On the other hand” help readers follow the broad direction of the argument. However, some links feel mechanical, and the relationship between ideas is not always clear. For example, “This practical implementation can be done under supervision of consultation” is difficult to connect to the preceding point, while “Simultaneously” does not clearly signal the contrast intended. The final paragraph also adds a new point rather than drawing together the reasons already discussed. Use clearer links between claims and explanations, and organise each paragraph around one developed central idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “practical implementation,” “international exposure,” “internships” and “responsibility,” which helps communicate the subject. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “university graduate courses” for undergraduate courses, “an event to go abroad,” and “increase your work and university profile.” “Skillset” and “profile” are repeated or used broadly, limiting precision. These choices do not prevent the reader from understanding the main argument, but they make parts of it less clear and natural. Aim for precise academic collocations, such as “gain practical experience” and “enhance employability,” and check word forms such as “affect” versus “effect.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “because” and “which,” and most of the main ideas remain understandable. However, control is uneven, particularly in longer constructions. For example, “This practical implementation can be done under supervision of consultation” has an unclear grammatical structure, and “doing work … help you increase” has a subject–verb agreement error. In “a person has to go through many procedures and it takes a lot of time,” the coordination is awkward, while “lead to increase” is missing an article or a gerund form. Review agreement, articles and sentence construction, and simplify sentences when needed. More consistently accurate complex sentences would make your reasoning easier to follow.

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