Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-20

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 6.0)

I agree that the advantages of all university undergraduate courses including a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement will outweigh the diadvantages. Packing up your bags, moving to a different place, living and learning a new culture and language changes you in ways no other experience does.

When a student in his early twenties comes out of his comfort zone, leaves his family and moves to an unfamiliar country where neither he knows anyone or the place and he has to start from scratch, that's where the real growth starts coming in. In that very moment, the student realises he is on his own, he needs to be independant or he won't survive. That realisation is actually what makes them stronger that no one is coming to save them but their on their own. They get to learn new things not only about their environment but about themselves. Someone may be good at an instrument they never knew about, someone maybe at sports, making friends, traveling alone etc. Once you experience that, you want to explore more.

However, this kind of experiences doesn't suit everyone. Not everyone is cut out of same cloth. Some people have anxiety when they think about change, some can't make friends and some fear loneliness to the extent that it starts to affect their health and mental being. For introverts, it's relatively hard to be outgoing and make friends around the world. People get in distress and rather than turning their life towards betterment, they do the opposite which takes an adverse toll on them.

Hence, it depends on the person and their nature, if they have an adventurous soul then there is nothing better studying abroad however if it affects them negatively then they should choose their comfort. Universities should let this be optional as whoever is interested can sign up for rather than making it compulsory.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you support overseas study or placements because they can build independence and personal growth, while acknowledging that they may harm some students’ wellbeing. This addresses the advantages-versus-disadvantages question, and the examples of adapting to a new environment and experiencing anxiety are relevant. However, the response does not fully weigh the two sides: the disadvantages are described, but there is little comparison explaining why the benefits outweigh them overall. The conclusion also shifts to recommending that participation be optional, which does not directly resolve whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of including such a period in every course. Develop this comparison and explain how universities could address students’ concerns while retaining the benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: it introduces your view, develops the benefits, presents a contrasting paragraph, and ends with a recommendation. Linking expressions such as “However” and “Hence” help signal the shift in direction, and the ideas generally progress in a sensible order. To make the organisation more effective, ensure that the conclusion follows directly from the argument about whether advantages outweigh disadvantages; the recommendation that the experience be optional currently changes the focus. Some references are also unclear, particularly “that realisation is actually what makes them stronger that no one is coming to save them,” where the relationship between the clauses is difficult to follow. Use clearer sentence boundaries and more precise referencing to strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss personal development and wellbeing, including “comfort zone,” “independence,” “unfamiliar country,” and “adverse toll.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and some less common expressions show an attempt to be expressive. However, several phrases are imprecise or informal for an academic essay, such as “cut out of same cloth,” “adventurous soul,” and “turning their life towards betterment.” There are also spelling errors, including “diadvantages” and “independant,” and some awkward collocations, such as “mental being.” Aim for more precise academic phrasing and check spelling carefully; this would make your vocabulary more controlled without losing the personal examples.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including conditional clauses and sentences beginning with “When” and “However.” The main meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems remain. For example, “neither he knows anyone or the place” has an incorrect negative construction, while “this kind of experiences doesn't suit everyone” has a number-agreement problem. In “that realisation is actually what makes them stronger that no one is coming to save them,” the clauses need clearer separation or a linking word. There are also errors in “their on their own” and “if it affects them negatively then they should choose their comfort.” Review agreement, pronouns, articles, and punctuation, and edit long sentences into clearer units.

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