Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-13

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)

It is suggested that all university undergraduate programmes sshould make it compulsory to spend time abroad or undertake a work placement. While his idea has some drawbacks, I believe the benefits are far more significant.

The main advantage is improved employability. A work placement allows students to apply theory to real situations, learn workplaceskills, and build professional networks, which makes them much more attractive to employers after graduation. Similarly, studying in another country broadens students horizons. They become more indepedent, culturally sensitive, and often improve their language skills. Forexample, a business student who spends a semester in Germany will not only learn about international markets but also develop confidence and adaptability-qualities that cannot be taught in a classroom.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

Your position is clear: you believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and you identify employability and personal development as relevant advantages. However, the response addresses the task only minimally. It does not explain any disadvantages, despite the question asking you to weigh both sides, and the benefits are asserted rather than fully supported. The example of a business student in Germany is relevant, but it is brief and does not show in detail how the experience leads to the stated outcomes. The response also falls short of the required minimum length, leaving little room to develop your reasoning. To improve, discuss at least one drawback, explain why the advantages outweigh it, and extend each main point with specific evidence or examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction states your view, followed by a paragraph presenting advantages. Linking expressions such as “While,” “Similarly,” and “For example” help show relationships between ideas. However, the essay ends without a concluding paragraph, and the single body paragraph combines employability, cultural awareness, language learning, and confidence without developing a clear progression between them. The contrast introduced by “While” is not followed by any discussion of drawbacks, so the connection remains incomplete. Organise the response into separate paragraphs for the main arguments, use clear topic sentences, and finish by summarising why the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonably varied set of relevant terms, including “employability,” “professional networks,” “culturally sensitive,” and “adaptability.” These choices communicate the topic clearly and show some ability to use vocabulary beyond basic everyday language. However, several spelling and word-form errors reduce accuracy, including “sshould,” “workplaceskills,” “indepedent,” and “Forexample.” There are also missing possessive forms in “students horizons” and a slightly awkward phrase in “apply theory to real situations.” Proofread carefully and aim for more precise collocations, such as “apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings.” A broader range of language for discussing disadvantages and weighing evidence would also help you express the full argument more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You show some variety in sentence structure, including a concessive opening (“While his idea has some drawbacks…”) and a relative clause in “qualities that cannot be taught in a classroom.” Most sentences are understandable, and the main message is clear. However, grammatical control is uneven: “students horizons” needs a possessive determiner, and the opening refers to “his idea” even though no person has been introduced. The final sentence also needs clearer punctuation around the dash before “qualities.” Because the response is brief, there is limited evidence of a wider range of complex structures. Check possessives and reference carefully, and practise combining ideas in accurate complex sentences while maintaining clear punctuation.

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