Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-11

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)

Many student take undertake undergraduate courses these days. Undergraduate degree has become minimal norm for major industry employment. Thus it has become necessary for all university to include a period of time spent studying or doing a work placement. I think the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages because it provides opportunity of developing connections and reach as well as provides you with the necessary work experience you need for an employment.

To begin with, undergrad courses with period of time studying abroad or doing work placement is a great way to help students to get familiar with outside world and inner working system of industry early on. The advantages of all university undergrad courses having period of time studying abroad or doing work placement is that it allows the student build and expand their connection. The students can meet new people, experts, get expose to new culture and customs. In return this allows them to learn new things without getting bores or stress. In addition, doing a work placement allows a student to get early years of experience in the respective field. For an example, a student of finance and economics, given a period of time for a work placement in a bank can learn and get experienced with inner working of banking system early on and when they graduate they can easily get an employment in any bank because he has experience and knowledge.

In contrast, there are very few disadvantages for including a period of time for studying abroad or work placement. The disadvantages of including such in course would increase the cost of expenses thus increasing the fess for the coast which ultimately can become not affordable for lower class people. Another disadvantages would be, it is harder to integrate in current education system because same thing is taught to every other students. The difficulty of integration makes it seem not worth for some of the university.

To conclude, it has both advantages and disadvantages but because of expansion of connections and relation as well as ripen with work experience for jobs and employment after graduation I think advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall view that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you address both sides of the question. The finance student’s bank placement is a relevant example that helps explain how work experience could support employment. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the benefits of studying abroad are mainly described as meeting people and learning about culture, without explaining in detail how these experiences improve students’ academic or career prospects. The disadvantages are also briefly asserted; for example, the point about integrating placements into the education system needs a clearer explanation. Develop each main idea with a specific consequence or example, and make the comparison between the benefits and costs more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, a paragraph on benefits, a paragraph on disadvantages, and a conclusion. Connectors such as “To begin with,” “In contrast,” and “To conclude” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes repetitive: the benefits paragraph restates the requirement for placements several times before moving between networking, culture, and work experience. Some links are also unclear, particularly “In return this allows them to learn new things,” where the relationship between meeting people and learning is not fully explained. The conclusion repeats earlier points rather than drawing them together. Organise each paragraph around one main claim and use clearer references and transitions between supporting details.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “work placement,” “employment,” “industry,” and “experience,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice or collocation errors make the writing awkward or occasionally unclear. Examples include “minimal norm” for a standard requirement, “inner working system” for how an industry operates, and “ripen with work experience,” which does not express the intended meaning. There are also inaccurate forms such as “fess for the coast” and “get expose.” Aim for precise, natural combinations and check word forms and spelling. Replacing repeated general terms such as “things” and “get” with more specific vocabulary would also make the argument clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a conditional example about a finance student who completes a bank placement. However, control is inconsistent, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. For example, “Many student take undertake” has problems with number and verb construction, while “it allows the student build” is missing a required grammatical element. Agreement and articles are also unreliable in phrases such as “all university” and “a student … they graduate.” Some long sentences combine several ideas without clear grammatical control, especially in the benefits paragraph. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, articles, plurals, and verb patterns, then divide complex ideas into shorter sentences where needed.

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