Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-17

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)

The student of university persuing an undergrduate degree should spend sometime working abroad foreducation por working in related field purpose.

there are many advantages of this initial as compared to disadvantages.

working abroad cause positive effect on education quality of a student. the student gets to know the advancement of the field in other contry. he can get the better understanding of the field. he ackowledge the experience of the other country. on other hand a student in same university who could not get this expeience will lack some knowledge.

spending time in other country is costly and not everyone can afford it. universities should give scholarships or funds for students to study abroad.

this placement also causes in the loss of flow or rhythm of study. the student gets disconnected for a short while from university and this change can alter the flow of education.

however, a student who gets the chance to study abroad has a marked difference in the knowledge of coure. he has seen thedevelopment of other countries in this ourse. he can better outine the lacking in development of his program.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You take a position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you give relevant points about learning from other countries, cost, and disruption to study. However, the response addresses the task only partially: the benefits are mostly asserted rather than explained, and the disadvantages receive little development. For example, you say students gain “better understanding” and can identify gaps in their programme, but provide no specific example of how a placement improves their skills or future prospects. Your view is also not consistently stated beyond the opening claim and the final paragraph. The response is 64 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to develop and support your ideas. Explain both sides more fully and make your overall judgement explicit throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: the response moves from benefits to costs and disruption, then returns to the benefits in its final paragraph. Basic linking phrases such as “on other hand” and “however” show an attempt to connect contrasting points. However, the overall progression is not clear, and the final paragraph largely repeats earlier claims instead of drawing the argument together. Several ideas are placed in a sequence without explaining their relationship, such as the statements about students gaining experience and others lacking knowledge. Paragraphing is also limited, with the response presented as short, loosely connected sections. Use a clear introduction, separate body paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion that directly answers whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “scholarships,” “placement,” “development,” and “knowledge,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or misspelled expressions make the reader work to interpret your meaning. Examples include “initial” for an initiative, “ackowledge the experience,” and “outline the lacking in development.” Some phrases are also unnatural, such as “loss of flow or rhythm of study” and “marked difference in the knowledge of course.” Aim for more precise academic collocations and check spelling carefully. For instance, describe how a placement can “broaden a student’s understanding” or help them “identify gaps in their programme,” rather than relying on repeated references to knowledge and development.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You communicate several basic ideas using simple sentences, and you attempt some longer structures, such as “a student who gets the chance to study abroad has a marked difference…” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make parts difficult to follow. Examples include missing or incorrect articles and prepositions in “student of university” and “in same university,” subject–verb agreement in “working abroad cause,” and incomplete or poorly punctuated sentence boundaries. Capitalisation at the start of sentences is also inconsistent. Practise building accurate simple sentences first, then combine related ideas with clauses such as “because,” “although,” and “which.” Proofread each sentence for a clear subject and verb, correct agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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