Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

During undergraduate courses, all universities ensure the studying abroad for period of time and doing practice in work placement. Some people thinks that this is better way for best future of all teenagers. Likewise, i believe that this positive steps bring the improvements in students lives. With the advantages, this also have some drawbacks.

When students spent period of time in abroad during their undergraduate courses, they can achieve more options in their careers. If they study in abroad, they will get best opportunities in worldwide. When they interact with different types of people from various countries, they learn about foreign cultures, norms and languages. They enhance the lifestyle modification from surrounding environment which provide great personality to that person. Moreover, they doing practices in their relevant fields that would be beneficial for practical lives. If students have skills about their work place, this increase the demands of that person. Every nation requires the skillful person with theoretical knowledge.

On the other hands, some people faces difficulties for travelling abroad because they can not afford expenses. Mostly talented students belong from poor family and they have not much resources for availing the good chances. I saw many people in my life which have multiple skills, they can not accept good future due to lack of money.

To sum up, all university should include a period of time in abroad for studying during undergraduate courses and provide the practical work place in their fields. Because this play significant role in every student life and it increase the confidence level. Some faces challenges due to lack of money, they can not avail this great opportunities. This great steps will be helpful for increasing country economy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you support including overseas study or work placements, while acknowledging that costs can prevent some students from participating. You address both benefits and a disadvantage, with relevant points about cultural learning, career opportunities and practical skills. However, the benefits are asserted more than explained: for example, “they can achieve more options in their careers” would be stronger if you showed how a placement leads to a particular skill or employment outcome. The financial concern is relevant, but the essay does not explore how it might be addressed or weigh its impact against the benefits. Develop these points with specific examples and make the comparison explicit so the reader can see why the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction to benefits, a financial drawback and a conclusion. Paragraphing helps distinguish the main points, and signposts such as “Moreover,” “On the other hands” and “To sum up” show the intended progression. At times, however, connections are mechanical or unclear. The opening says the measure has advantages and drawbacks, but the conclusion does not clearly compare their relative importance. Some references are also vague, as in “this increase the demands of that person” and “this great steps,” making it harder to follow exactly what “this” refers to. Use clearer links between claims and explanations, and organise each body paragraph around one main idea developed in sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “foreign cultures,” “practical lives,” “theoretical knowledge” and “lack of money,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. There are also attempts to express more specific concepts, such as “confidence level” and “country economy.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, including “achieve more options,” “lifestyle modification from surrounding environment” and “demands of that person.” Repetition of “students,” “people,” “great” and “opportunities” also limits precision. Build a wider set of natural phrases for education, employment and financial barriers, and check whether each chosen word fits its context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “If they study in abroad, they will get best opportunities” and a relative clause in “people which have multiple skills.” This gives the response some variety, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. Some errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction remain, however: “Some people thinks,” “this also have,” and “all university should include” do not maintain subject–verb agreement. There are also problems with tense and clause structure, as in “When students spent period of time” and the sentence beginning “Because this play significant role,” which is a fragment. Review agreement and article use, and check that each sentence has a complete main clause.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.