Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-18

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)

In today's world there are generally different undergraduate courses are available for different field's but some people think that ,universities should have to include a sort of time period to spent studying abroad or doing a work placement.

From where i stand i believe that at some extent this is a considerable topic for a debate which we should not have to neglact while the universities help the students to shape there future along with a good placement opportunities.but here the advantages of this out weigh disadvantages

On the one hand there are some pro's where universities which are providing internships program for student to spent period of time to studying in abroad while other institue providing a good opprtunities where they believe students learn practically more then academic studies. i would like to give an example where one of my friend went to Canada for masters where the university named mohawk provided him 2 years of time to spent on studies and the he applied for work permit where he got skilled laboured worked at rightnow he is working with big giants like microsoft ,google.

On the otherhand there are some con's where students typically get confused and frustrated with there carrier because of poor management from the university side along with there are some unknowned universities undergraduates program where students pay big amount o of chunk in fees but even though they didnt get time period for study and altough they didnt get more opportunites from such universites,so the reasons are hectic management of such courses from universities side and some time there also issue from student side also.

to conclude this there are always pros and cons for each debate but the universited should have to add more period of time to study abroad other wise they should have to give placements because the progress of every student depend on there field courses if they gets a good knowledge in under graduate courses they will perform good in post graduate courses because if they learn good they will earn good.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall view that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you address both sides of the question. The example of your friend studying in Canada and later finding work helps illustrate how international study can support career prospects. However, the advantages are not explained in enough detail: the claim that students learn more practically than academically needs a clearer link to the benefits of a placement or overseas study for undergraduates. The disadvantages are also broad, focusing on poor university management and student frustration without explaining how common or serious these problems are. Develop each main point with a specific explanation, and make the comparison between the benefits and drawbacks more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Phrases such as “On the one hand” and “to conclude” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is often difficult to follow because several ideas are joined into long, loosely connected sentences. For example, the paragraph about your friend moves from a university programme to a work permit and then to employment at major companies without clearly explaining each link. Some connectors, including “On the otherhand,” are also used mechanically or inaccurately. Use shorter sentences, organise each paragraph around one main point, and make references such as “this” and “they” clearly identify what they mean.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “work placement,” “internships,” “practically,” and “opportunities,” and you use some topic-specific language about employment and university study. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning harder to understand. Examples include “skilled laboured worked,” “big amount of chunk in fees,” and “good placement opportunities.” Spelling errors such as “neglact,” “opprtunities,” and “universites” are also noticeable. Aim for accurate, natural phrases and check spelling carefully; for instance, describe students as gaining “practical experience” and paying “substantial tuition fees.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “where” and “because,” but complex structures are often faulty and errors occur frequently. For example, “there are generally different undergraduate courses are available” combines incompatible sentence patterns, while “universities should have to include” uses an incorrect modal construction. There are also recurring problems with verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries, as in “if they gets a good knowledge” and the long sentence beginning “On the one hand.” These errors can make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Practise building accurate basic sentences first, then add one subordinate clause at a time, and check subject–verb agreement and punctuation.

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