Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In the modern era, a numbers of student have a dream to move aborad and for further studies. Therefore, university should include course about learning in abroad. However, it hepls to increases knowledge about particular topic such as it improve language skill as well. In my opinion advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages.

To begin with, nowadays student prefer to move in other countries for further studies and for doing work. But they faze difficulties because their is on guidence provided by authores and ralated community. Although, university can do it on significant stages for student through to that they can provide enough information about related course. Moreover, it have vast range of benefites because student can fulfill their dream and university can introduce themselves at international stages. Furthermore, course are key factor for all things so first and foremost, unvirsity have to include relavent course.

Another important benefit is that work placements provide students with practical experience. Although university education gives students theoretical knowledge, working in a company helps them understand how to use that knowledge in real situations. For instance, engineering students can learn how to operate equipment and solve workplace problems during an internship. This experience may also help them find a job more easily after graduation. However, studying abroad can be expensive, and some students may not be able to afford the travel and living costs.

In conclusion, I believe that studying abroad or completing a work placement is beneficial for university students because it improves their knowledge, confidence and employment opportunities. Universities should encourage these experiences and provide financial support to students who need it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and the conclusion restates this view. You address both study abroad and work placements, with relevant benefits such as improved knowledge, practical experience and better employment prospects. The engineering internship example helps make the work-placement point concrete. However, the discussion is uneven: the first body paragraph focuses mainly on students’ existing ambitions and universities providing information, rather than explaining the specific benefits of a required overseas period. The disadvantage of cost is mentioned only briefly and is not weighed against the benefits. Develop this comparison more fully and explain how universities could make participation accessible.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the main ideas can generally be followed. The second body paragraph moves logically from theoretical learning to workplace experience and employment prospects. However, progression is less clear in the first body paragraph: ideas about students wanting to move abroad, difficulties, university guidance and international recognition are joined without a clear central line. Connectors such as “Moreover,” “Furthermore” and “Although” are sometimes used mechanically or do not show the relationship between ideas accurately. For example, “Although” introduces a point that does not clearly contrast with the preceding sentence. Organise each paragraph around one main benefit and use clearer links between supporting points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “practical experience,” “theoretical knowledge,” “internship” and “employment opportunities,” which helps communicate the main argument. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or misspelled expressions make parts of the first body paragraph difficult to understand, such as “faze difficulties,” “on guidence” and “at international stages.” There are also awkward collocations, including “course about learning in abroad” and “fulfill their dream.” Aim for more precise phrases for the task, such as describing a placement as a way to gain workplace skills, and check spelling and word forms carefully. More accurate, varied vocabulary would make your ideas clearer and more convincing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a contrast between university theory and workplace learning and a conditional idea about students finding jobs. Meaning is usually recoverable, particularly in the paragraph about placements. However, control is inconsistent, and errors in agreement, articles, verb forms and sentence construction sometimes make the opening and first body paragraph hard to follow. For example, “a numbers of student have” has problems with number agreement, while “it hepls to increases” combines an incorrect verb form with an unclear subject. “Their is on guidence provided” also shows difficulty forming the sentence accurately. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and keeping each sentence’s subject and verb clear; then review articles and plural forms.

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