Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-22

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)

There is considerable debate these days that universities should teach students about higher education in abroad and having sessions for doing part time jobs. I agree with this statement as knowledge about foreign education and leisure time work helps students in career establishment and financial freedom in their professional lives.

Firstly, The courses universities are teaching to students, are of no use in practicle life. Universities should more focus on applied knowledge rather than on theoratical knowledge. Besides modifications in courses, they should fix a period for career counselling. Professors should have separate sessions with their students, where they can access the students and guide them for education in abroad. In this way, brilliant students get chance to study in world- renowned universities. The only draw-back is that when students settled in developed countries, they do not prefer to come back to their native countires. Consequently, developing countries lack highly skilled professionals.

Education about work placement is need of hour these days. Undergraduates only focus on their academics, and rely on their parents for expenses. It puts burden on families because there is a spike in inflation world-wide.

Unversities should teach students, the benefits of financial freedom, and encourage them for doing work in their spare time. It helps young adults to get exposure of a practical life, and they can also bear their own expenses.

However, there should be a balance, as many students get more inclined toward earning and they do not spend time for their education.

In conclusion, it should be mandatory to guide students about foreign education and doing part time jobs. In addition, they should be educated to keep balance between studies and work.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you support including overseas study and work experience, and you mention disadvantages such as skilled graduates not returning and students prioritising earnings over study. These points are relevant, but the response only partly addresses the exact proposal. The task asks whether a period abroad or a work placement should be part of every undergraduate course; instead, you often discuss teaching students about foreign education, career counselling, and part-time jobs. The advantages are asserted rather than fully explained, and the disadvantages are not weighed against them in a developed comparison. To strengthen the response, address compulsory placements directly and explain why their benefits do or do not outweigh the costs, using specific examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The paragraphs also group related ideas, with overseas education discussed before work and financial independence. Linking expressions such as “Firstly,” “Besides,” “Consequently,” and “However” help show relationships between points. However, progression is sometimes unclear because the discussion shifts from studying abroad to counselling, then to migration, without fully connecting these ideas to a required period of study abroad. The conclusion repeats the general recommendation but does not clearly resolve whether advantages outweigh disadvantages. Some transitions, including “Besides modifications in courses,” feel mechanical. Make each paragraph develop one direct argument and use clearer references to connect examples to the central comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “career counselling,” “financial freedom,” “skilled professionals,” and “inflation,” which helps communicate the main ideas. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “world-renowned universities.” However, several inaccurate or unnatural choices reduce precision: “higher education in abroad,” “career establishment,” “leisure time work,” and “bear their own expenses” do not express the intended ideas naturally. Spelling errors such as “practicle,” “theoratical,” “countires,” and “Unversities” are noticeable. Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling carefully; for example, use “study abroad,” “career development,” and “cover their own expenses.” This would make the vocabulary more reliable and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a conditional structure in “when students settled in developed countries” and a subordinate clause beginning “as many students get more inclined toward earning.” The overall meaning is generally understandable, but errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms recur. For example, “when students settled” needs a finite verb such as “settle,” while “Universities should more focus” has incorrect word order. The opening sentence also has an awkward structure, and commas interrupt phrases in places such as “The courses universities are teaching to students, are…” Work on verb forms, word order, articles, and punctuation, and revise sentences to ensure each clause is complete and clearly connected.

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