Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Every university bachelor program should consist of a period of time for foreign studies or doing an internship. Although, this creates high pressure among students to secure internship or study abroad, I agree that the amount of exposure it offers them about the industry outweighs the above disadvantage.

Securing a work placement or pursuing foreign studies put enormous pressure on the students. The main reason is that the students have to cope up with the bachelor courses parallely when trying to secure an internship or a study offer in abroad. Moreover, foreign studies cause a significant financial burden on the bachelors, as they require them to afford for transportation, food, housing and other travel expenses. Furthermore, it is not feasible for the university to sponsor for the same. For instance, though many students in IT industry easily secure study offers from top universities, most of them reject the offers due to the expenses they demand.

Conversely, students get excellent exposure and knowledge from a foreign course or an internship. When students pursue a program in abroad, they get exposed to better ways in which their industry functions, allowing them to implement the same in their home country. Moreover, securing an internship allows them to learn best industry practices in their domain and this benefits them greatly during their placements. For example, in IITs, the management arranges co-op programs for students to secure internships and almost everyone of them who manage to get an internship easily get converted to a full time employee.

In conclusion, I agree that all university undergraduate programs should mandate a period of time for students to spend in a foreign course or a work placement. Despite the pressure it puts on the bachelors, I believe that the exposure it provides them in their domain is limitless, allowing them to secure a great job during full time placements.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: you agree that the benefits of placements or overseas study outweigh the pressure and cost. You address both sides and support them with relevant examples, including students declining overseas offers because of expenses and the IIT co-op programme. The benefits are linked to industry knowledge and employment prospects, so the response meets the task well. Some claims, however, are broad or not fully explained: for example, the assertion that overseas study exposes students to “better ways” of working could be illustrated more specifically, and the IIT example would be stronger if you clarified how the placement leads to employment. Developing these points with more precise explanation would make the argument more convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear four-paragraph structure, moving from your position to disadvantages, advantages and a conclusion. The contrast between the two main body paragraphs is easy to follow, and signposts such as “Moreover,” “Furthermore,” and “Conversely” help show how ideas relate. The conclusion also returns directly to your position. At times, however, the linking is somewhat formulaic, with several sentences beginning with additive transitions. Some references could be clearer: “the same” in the discussion of implementing industry practices is imprecise, and “the above disadvantage” in the introduction refers broadly to more than one concern. Use a wider range of natural links and make references explicit to strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “financial burden,” “industry practices,” “exposure,” and “placements.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and you attempt some topic-specific language. However, several word combinations or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “cope up with,” “in abroad,” “afford for,” and “get converted to a full time employee.” “Bachelor” is also used where “undergraduate students” or “students” would be more appropriate. These choices do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Focus on learning common collocations and checking whether a phrase is idiomatic in context; this will help you express your ideas more flexibly and accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concessive opening (“Although…”) and longer sentences explaining causes and results. Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “Securing a work placement … put” needs subject–verb agreement (“puts”), while “almost everyone of them who manage” requires agreement and a clearer relative clause (“almost everyone who manages”). The opening “Although, this creates…” is incorrectly punctuated and leaves the dependent clause awkwardly separated. There are also issues with articles and prepositions in phrases such as “in the bachelor courses” and “during their placements.” Review agreement, clause punctuation and sentence patterns, while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

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