Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-19

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)

SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT UNIVERSITIES SHOULD FOCUS ONLY ON STUDIES RATHER THAN WASTING TIME ON OTHER ACTIVITIES. WHILE OTHER PEOPLE ARGUE THAT UNIVERSITIES SHOULD PROVIDE COURSES INCLUDING STUDYING IN ABROAD OR DOING WORK PLACEMENTS. HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD ADD MORE COUSRSES WHICH BENEFITS THE STUDENTS. ALTHOUGH THIS METHOD HAS CERTAIN DRAWBACKS. I STRONGALLY BELIVE THAT ADVANTAGES OUTWEIGH THE DISADVANTAGES IN THIS CASE.

ON THE ONE HAND, UNDERGRADUATES NEED MORE GUIDANCE FROM TEACHERS AND PROFESSORS. THE UNIVERSITIES SHOULD PROVIDE VARIOUS COURSES APART FROM ACADEMICS. PROPER GUIDANCE WILL GIVE GOOD ABILITYU FOR YOUNGSTERS TO IMPROVE IN VARIOUS WAYS SUCH AS JOB REFERENCE ETC. FOR INSTANCE, UNDERGRADUATES REQUIRED SUPPORT BEFORE COMPLETION OF THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION. FUTHERMORE, UNIVERSITY SHOULD ADD ADITTIONAL COURSE LIKE PLACEMENT CELL, JOB SUPPORT AND ABROAD SUPPORT. THIS HELPS STUDENTS TO KNOW MORE AND UNDERSTAND WELL TO TAKE FURTHER STEPS. STUDYING ABROAD NEEDS MORE PLANNING SO EXPERIENCE PROFESSORS SHOULD HELP STUDENTS TO KNOW MORE ABROAD SITUSTION AND START PLANNING ACCORDINGLY. WORK PLACEMENT WHICH IS ONE OF THE CRUCIAL RESOURCE IN THE UNIVERSITY WHICH HELPS STUDENTS TO BE PLACED IN REPUTATED COMPANY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS LEADS TO OTHER ACTIVITIES APART FROM STUDIES. CHILDREN NEED LEARN SUBJECTS OR COURSES IF THEY WANT TO SUCCED IN LIFE. ACADEMICS PLAYS A IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROMOTING STUDENT FROM GRADES. STUDENT SHOULD BE PASSED AT PARTICULAR COURSE TO PLAN AHEAD. THIS LEADS TO SECURE LESS MARKS IN SUBJECTS AS ABROAD EDUCATION REQUIRED GOOD MARKS TO SECURE GOOD UNIOVERSITY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. FOR EXAMPLE, SUBJECTS WILL SHOWCASE THE SKILLS TO GRADUATE. IN ADDITION, STUDENTS SHOULD FOCUS ON OTHER CULTURAL ACTIVITIES THIS WILL BALANCE BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.

IN CONCLUSION, WHILE ALL UNIVERSITIES SHOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COURSES LIKE STUDYING ABROAD OR DOING A WORK PLACEMENT. THIS HELPS STUDENTS TO PREPLAN THEIR SCHEDULE TO ACHIEVE DESIRED GOALS. WHILE IT HAS CERTAIN DRAWBACKS NOT FOCUSING ON SUBJECTS THIS LEADS TO FAIL IN SUBJECTS OR GETTING LESS MARKS. THIS LEADS TO LESS CHANCES OF GOING TO ABROAD. THEREFORE I BELIEVE THAT THE ADVANTAGES ARE CLEARLY OUTWEIGH THE DISADVANTAGES.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You give a clear overall view that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you discuss both potential benefits and a concern about academic performance. The points about work placements helping students find employment and overseas study requiring planning are relevant to the question. However, the response only partly addresses the specific proposal that every undergraduate course should include a period abroad or a work placement: it often shifts to universities offering extra support or additional courses. The disadvantage is also not fully explained, and examples such as “subjects will showcase the skills to graduate” do not clearly support the argument. Develop each side with a direct explanation of how the required placement or overseas study affects students, then use a specific example to support your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs signalled by “On the one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion that restates your view. This helps readers identify the broad direction of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is uneven: the first body paragraph moves from teacher guidance to job references, placement support, overseas planning, and company employment without clearly connecting each point. Some linking phrases are repetitive or do not show the relationship accurately, including repeated uses of “This leads to” and “In addition.” The conclusion also repeats ideas rather than drawing them together. Organise each paragraph around one main claim, explain it in sequence, and use referencing and transitions only where they clarify the connection.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some vocabulary relevant to education and employment, including “work placements,” “higher education,” “academics,” and “cultural activities.” These terms make the general topic understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the intended meaning difficult to follow. For example, “good abilityu,” “abroad situstion,” and “crucial resource” are unclear or unsuitable in context; “placed in reputated company” also does not express the idea naturally. Spelling errors such as “strongally,” “belive,” and “unioiversity” further reduce accuracy. Build a bank of precise phrases for benefits and drawbacks, check spelling carefully, and choose collocations that express the intended relationship between placements, skills, and employment.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast structure beginning “Although this method has certain drawbacks” and clauses introduced by “which.” However, many sentences contain errors in sentence boundaries, agreement, articles, or verb forms, and these can make the argument hard to interpret. For example, “Although this method has certain drawbacks” is a fragment, while “Academics plays a important role” has agreement and article errors. In “This leads to secure less marks,” the verb pattern is faulty, and several sentences join separate ideas without appropriate punctuation. Practise writing complete sentences with one clear main clause, then add subordinate clauses accurately. Proofread specifically for subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries.

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