Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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)

In today's competitive world, university education should provide students with both theoritical and practical experience. Some people believe that all undergraduate courses should include a period of studing abroad or completing a work placements. I firmly believe that the advantages of this approach outweigh the disadvantages because it improves student skills and prepares them for their future careers.

On the one hand, one major advantage of studying abroad is that students can gain a broader understanding of different cultures and lifestyle. By living in another country, they can develop indepndence, improve their communication skills, can do part time job which helps to cover their expenses and helps to become more confident. In addition to that students can participate in university events and can gives opportunities them to meet and interact with people from different cultures. For example, my sister went UK for her master's and now she's working there. I saw she lives there independently.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to consider. studying abroad can be expensive because students may need to pay for accommodation, travel and other living costs. Moreovere, their parents not with them for their help this is also the major problem and because of this sometimes they feels alone which led them into anxiety, depression and some health issues. For instance, my sister took load from India before going to UK because she needed money for accommodation and travel and she was not working that time.

In conclusion, although studing abroad or undertaking a work placement can involve additional costs. I believe the benefits are greater. These experiences can help students enhence their skills, become more independent and improve their future career opportunities. Therefore, universities should include such oppotunities in undergraduate courses.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: you believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and the conclusion restates this view. You address both sides, with relevant points about cultural understanding, independence, costs and homesickness. The examples about your sister make the discussion more concrete. However, the response focuses mainly on studying abroad, while the prompt also includes work placements; these are mentioned but not explained or compared. Some ideas also need fuller development: for example, you say international experience improves career prospects, but do not explain how employers or students benefit. Develop both options and connect each example more explicitly to your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. The progression from benefits to drawbacks is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. This is a solid organisational foundation. Some links within sentences are less controlled, however: the advantages paragraph strings together several points with repeated “and,” while “Moreovere, their parents not with them…” does not clearly connect the cause and effect. Use a wider range of linking structures and make references explicit, so the reader can follow how each point supports your position without relying mainly on formulaic transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “communication skills,” “accommodation,” “living costs,” “independently,” and “career opportunities.” These choices make your main ideas understandable, and you attempt some more specific language about emotional and financial challenges. However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “theoritical,” “indepndence,” “load” for a loan, and “oppotunities.” Some phrases are also unnatural, such as “a broader understanding of different cultures and lifestyle” and “took load from India.” Build accuracy in collocations and word forms, and proofread spelling. More precise expressions for work placements and their professional benefits would also help you discuss the full topic with greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a reason clause in “because it improves student skills” and a relative clause in “which helps to cover their expenses.” The overall meaning is generally recoverable, and the paragraph structure gives you opportunities to express different relationships. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in longer sentences. For example, “their parents not with them for their help” lacks a finite verb, and “sometimes they feels alone which led them into anxiety” has problems with agreement and clause structure. There are also errors in articles, plurals and punctuation, as in “a work placements” and the comma splice in the conclusion. Practise building accurate complex sentences and check subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries.

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