Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-12

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)

In recent years there has been increasingly debate wether rest of universities undergraduate subjects should add a specific time for studying out of country or doing part time job. I largely agree that students ought to have these advantages, as it can led them to become more knowledgeable and independent.

I strongly believe that university courses shall include different opportunities as studying abroad, because it can boost their knowledge as they explore different places for gaining useful information and as a result it also increase their communication skills along with confidence. For example, in our cities majority of people choose to go UK and Australia to get their higher education. This means that it has wider positive impact on students life as it can lead us to high literacy rates in our country. So universities will surely includes these option along with other courses.

Another reason to support students job placement is that it can makes them more independent then before, therefore during the adult age most individuals are not enough mature to handle any situation in real life so it is necessary to trained them before the right time, this can leads them for bright future and build their thinking stronger. For instance, a student with a part time job can behave and act more sensible than the student who just focus on their studies, like many students in UK who manage their education and job at the same gets more scholarships than other. However, it is definitely has more advantages and it is also a example for those who thinks that it has can led any negative impact on their lives or study.

In conclusion, it could be argued that adding extra subjects in universities like studying in abroad and doing part time job among many individuals but, I completely agree that universities ought to be take some steps in adding these options for better future of students and it can also make them more mature and sensible to get better job ahead.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You take a clear overall position, stating that you “largely agree” and concluding that universities should add these options. Both study abroad and work placement are discussed, with relevant points about knowledge, communication, confidence and independence. However, the response does not fully answer the comparison in the question: it gives little attention to disadvantages or explains why the advantages outweigh them. Some support is also unclear or insufficiently connected to the proposal. For example, students choosing the UK or Australia to pursue higher education does not directly show why every undergraduate course should require a period abroad. Develop the comparison explicitly and use examples that demonstrate the effects of a course-based placement or study period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two main benefits, and a conclusion. This gives the reader an overall route through your argument, and phrases such as “Another reason” and “In conclusion” signal transitions. However, connections between some claims are unclear or mechanical. The move from studying abroad to “high literacy rates in our country,” for instance, needs explanation, and the long work-placement paragraph combines several ideas without clearly showing how they relate. References such as “these advantages” and “these options” are not always precise. To strengthen progression, give each paragraph one central claim, explain its link to the question, and use clearer transitions between supporting points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “communication skills,” “independent,” “scholarships,” and “mature,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems make the writing less natural. Examples include “increasingly debate,” “studying out of country,” “bright future,” and “get their higher education”; these expressions do not convey your meaning precisely or idiomatically. There are also repeated references to “students” and “advantages.” Build a more accurate range around the topic, such as “international study experience,” “work placement,” and “practical skills,” and check spelling and word forms before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including clauses introduced by “because,” “therefore,” and “for example.” This shows an effort to express cause and effect, but complex sentences are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some passages difficult to follow. For instance, “it can led them” has an incorrect verb form, while “it can makes them” and “universities will surely includes” show problems with verb agreement and infinitives. Sentence boundaries and punctuation also need attention, particularly in the long sentence beginning “Another reason to support students job placement.” Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, modal verb patterns, articles, and sentence division, then proofread each clause.

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