Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

All university undergraduate courses have to have a period of time spent educating outside the country or having a practical course. I believe that the benefits of this trend outweigh the drawbacks. The learners can benefit from either studying abroad or doing a work placement because both of them provide the students with valuable experiences for their future career.

The main advantage of this trend is providing them with more advanced information, regardless of their profession. When students work by their hands, they memorize the main features better. In addition, learners improve their educational background faster when they study part of their education abroad and learn how to solve complicated issues easily due to more advance facilities abroad. For instance, the education system in many parts of the world differs from other nations. Thus, students can learn from the education of developed nations and apply the same way in their original countries.

Regarding the disadvantages of this trend, students forget the majority of information they have gained during the time of studying if they do not work by their hands. As a result, they have fewer career opportunities after graduation, which may take years to work somewhere. Additionally, workplaces look for those who have a solid background and studied abroad as they see that these students can provide them with more crucial information and experience related to their tasks.

In conclusion, although universities provide the undergraduate students with an outstanding background, I believe that they should study abroad for a period of time or do a work placement to build a good background for their future career.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall position: you believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and you discuss both study abroad and work placements. The points about practical experience, learning from other education systems, and future employment are relevant. However, the comparison is not fully convincing because the disadvantages paragraph is unclear: it says students may forget information if they do not work practically, then claims workplaces favour those who studied abroad, which reads more like an advantage than a drawback. Develop a genuine cost or access concern, and explain why the benefits outweigh it. Some claims, such as learning from “developed nations,” also need a specific example or fuller explanation to make the argument more persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate body paragraphs and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “In addition,” “For instance,” and “As a result” help signal relationships between points. However, progression within the argument is uneven, especially in the paragraph introduced by “Regarding the disadvantages”: its first point is difficult to follow, while the next sentence describes an employment benefit. This weakens the paragraph’s purpose and the overall comparison. Some connections are also mechanical, and references such as “both of them” and “the same way” are not fully precise. Give each body paragraph one clear function, order its supporting points logically, and use explicit references to show how each example supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “work placement,” “educational background,” “career opportunities,” and “complicated issues.” This is enough to communicate the main ideas, but several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, which limits precision. For example, “educating outside the country” is less natural than “studying abroad,” and “work by their hands” does not clearly express gaining practical experience. “More advance facilities” also uses the wrong form and is vague, while “provide them with more crucial information” is an awkward description of what employees contribute. Aim for accurate, natural collocations and choose terms that express the intended idea directly; the suggestions below offer useful alternatives.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses with “because,” “when,” and “although.” Most sentences remain understandable, and errors do not generally prevent the reader from following your position. Some grammatical inaccuracies remain, however. In “the benefits of this trend is,” the plural subject requires “are”; “when they study part of their education abroad and learn” also leaves the subject of “learn” unclear. The phrase “the time of studying” is awkwardly formed, and “the undergraduate students” uses an unnecessary article in this general statement. Continue practising agreement, article use and clear clause structure, while retaining the complex sentences you already attempt.

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