Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Nowadays, there is a discussion about whether all university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spend on studying abroad or doing a work placement. In my experience, I believe having a work experience or going through a semester excahange program provides an opportunity of real-world experiences and networking.

In the one hand, the period that universities provide for undergraduates can be beneficial in two aspects. Students can take advantage of this time to study abroad. This experience exposes them to different cultures and environments. Additionally, studying in a different country exposes students to different point of views. For example, when discussing with my professor my goal of starting my masters, he recommend me to persue that in a different country as it introduces a new way of thinking. Some undergraduates my utilize this period to acquire work experience, giving them the opportunity to explore different career. and discover their pasion. Moreover, it enables networking with mentors whom could guide students or provide valuable advice.

On the other hand, given the period may encourage students to dropout of universities. Many undergraduates many prioritize money if a well-paying job opportunity comes by. In my experience, one of my friends has dropout after being offered a full-time job with attractive salary. Furthermore, including this period would make the undergraduate program longer. Students may be discouraged in the first place to go to college due to the long program's period.

In conclusion, universities providing time for undergraduate courses spent for studying aborad or work experience may help lots of students learn various cultures and views, yet it might discoruage students to continue studying. I believe it

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both sides of the question and give relevant reasons: overseas study can broaden students’ perspectives, while work placements can build experience and contacts; you also identify the risks of leaving university and extending study. However, the central requirement is to decide whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and your position is not completed: the conclusion ends, “I believe it”. This leaves the overall judgement unclear. Some supporting points are also brief, such as the claim that a longer programme may discourage students, which would benefit from explanation. Develop the comparison between the two sides and state your judgement clearly in the introduction and conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. The progression from overseas study to work experience is generally understandable, and signposts such as “Additionally,” “Moreover,” and “On the other hand” help readers follow the discussion. However, some linking is mechanical or inaccurate: “In the one hand” does not correctly introduce the first side, and “In conclusion” leads to a summary that is cut off. The sentence fragment “and discover their pasion” also interrupts the flow. Use transitions more naturally, connect examples explicitly to the point they support, and ensure the final paragraph completes the argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “different cultures and environments,” “real-world experiences,” “networking,” and “well-paying job opportunity.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and there are attempts at topic-specific language. However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “excahange,” “persue,” “pasion,” “aborad,” and “discouruage.” Some expressions are also imprecise or unnatural, such as “a period of time spend on studying” and “different point of views.” These slips sometimes make the reader pause, although the intended meaning is usually recoverable. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for education and employment to make your vocabulary more accurate and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning “when” and “if,” and the overall meaning is often understandable. However, control is inconsistent, and errors occur in basic forms as well as longer structures. Examples include “he recommend me” instead of “he recommended that I pursue,” “one of my friends has dropout,” and “Many undergraduates many prioritize,” where verb forms or sentence construction are faulty. The phrase “whom could guide students” also uses an incorrect relative form. The conclusion is incomplete, leaving its final sentence without a finished structure. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and relative clauses, and proofread each sentence for a complete, correctly formed verb phrase.

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