Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-15

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)

In recent years, all university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement. This essay will discuss both views, I think advantages are more outweight the disadvantages.

On the one hand, there are several advantages of university undergraduate courses studying abroad. First of all,if government give scholarship to university learners they feel happy. secondly, when students go abroad for higher education they know about new culture and learn new languages they make new friends different countries. Therefore, they helps each other and sove study challenges. For instance, all over the world new friends and teachers very helpful in future global networking. As a result, students who live in abroad far from their families and country they become independent and build more confidence.

Beside, some advantages of doing a work placement such as, oppotunities books knowledge spread in orignal world and give practical experience. Furthermore, from work placement better employability big companies preffer experience pupils. Moreover, students manager thier time and learn new skills.

On ther other hand, there are several disadvantages, for students who studying abroad.Hence, during the intership many expenditure such as, living problem and food issues. However, pupils face financial burden they cannot earn a lot of money every month. For example, in abroad semester duration has been long students depress this time contrain.

In conclusion, although university undergraduate courses spent studying abroad or doing a work placement both are very useful. To sum up, I belive that more

advantages outweight disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both sides of the question by discussing cultural learning, independence and work experience, as well as costs and financial pressure. Your conclusion indicates that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but this position is not clearly stated in the introduction, and several points are too brief to show why the benefits outweigh the costs. For example, the scholarship point is not connected clearly to the overall argument, while the disadvantage about students becoming depressed is difficult to understand. The response is also below the required 250 words: 26 words copied from the task prompt are excluded from the count. Develop fewer points with clearer explanations and examples, and state your position consistently from the beginning.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, paragraphs on advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. You also use linking expressions such as “On the one hand,” “Furthermore,” and “In conclusion” to signal stages in the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is often unclear, and some connectors do not show the relationship between ideas accurately. For instance, “Therefore, they helps each other and sove study challenges” follows the point about learning languages and making friends, but the connection needs fuller explanation. The conclusion repeats the preference for advantages without summarising the main reasons. Organise each paragraph around one clear claim, then explain and support it; use fewer, more precise transitions and clearer references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “scholarship,” “practical experience,” “financial burden,” and “employability.” These choices show an effort to discuss education and work beyond very basic terms. However, the range is limited, and frequent spelling errors and inaccurate word combinations sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow, as in “opportunities books knowledge spread in orignal world” and “semester duration has been long.” Some wording is also imprecise, such as “experience pupils” for students with work experience. Build a reliable set of topic-specific phrases and check spelling and collocations. More precise expressions for costs, career prospects, and cultural learning would help you communicate your ideas clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences and subordinate clauses, for example, “although university undergraduate courses spent studying abroad or doing a work placement both are very useful.” However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur frequently in basic sentence patterns, agreement, verb forms, articles, and punctuation. Examples include “if government give scholarship,” “they helps each other,” and “students who live in abroad … they become independent.” These errors can make relationships between ideas hard to understand. Practise forming accurate simple sentences first, then extend them with clauses using “because,” “when,” or “although.” Check subject–verb agreement, verb forms, and sentence boundaries carefully, and avoid repeating a subject after a relative clause.

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