Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-27

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 a controversy about spent time in studing abroad or work placement. Some argue that all undergraduate courses ought to include a period of time spent on studing foreign or doing work in industries. I strongly believe that this statement is more advantages than disadvantages. practical knowledge helps students to earn money during studies and obtain more skills.

The major advantage that when pupils earn money for their needs they more deeply grasp the value of money and fouced on their studies to achieve in prestigious company. Furthermore, if students worked as interner in an oragnization, they may have more capability to get clear job interview because they are more confident and in other country they get opportunity to learn different languages and cultures. For example, in Pakistan, many universities going students did not gotten their degree until they worked as a interner in any industry.

The main drawback is after doing job in a company and earn money students may do not concentrate on studies because this thing may used to earn money. For instance, mostly students leave their studies when the started doing job, as a result they did not completed their studies. In addition, there are more prons for doing job and studing in abroad because this thing helps to build confidence in it and motivate them.

In conclusion, there is an ongoing debate, about studing in foreign for doing a work placement. There advantages is outweigh the disadvantages, studing abroad help to get knowledge about different language and culture and in the work placement they improve confidence and communication skills.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall view that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you address both sides by discussing work experience, cultural learning and the risk of students neglecting their studies. These points are relevant, but the response only partly develops the task: the benefits of earning money and gaining confidence are asserted rather than explained in detail, while the drawback is supported by a broad claim that students leave their studies. The Pakistan example is difficult to interpret and does not clearly show how a placement is required or beneficial. To strengthen the response, explain how placements or overseas study improve students’ future prospects, and make the comparison between the benefits and the risk more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “For instance,” and “In addition” help signal relationships between points. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear: the first body paragraph moves from earning money to interviews and then language learning without fully connecting these ideas. Some links are also mechanical or confusing, particularly “In addition” before a sentence that returns to the advantages after the drawback. The conclusion repeats earlier points rather than bringing the comparison together. Group related benefits, use clearer references, and make each paragraph’s main point and supporting explanation follow a more consistent sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “work placement,” “prestigious company,” “different languages and cultures,” and “communication skills.” However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors make parts of the response difficult to understand, such as “studing,” “fouced,” “interner,” and “prons.” Some phrases are also unnatural or imprecise, including “get clear job interview” and “build confidence in it.” Aim to use accurate, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. More precise terms such as “gain practical experience,” “improve employability,” and “balance work with academic commitments” would help express your ideas clearly without relying on repeated general words such as “thing” and “help.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including conditional forms such as “if students worked as…” and a result clause beginning “as a result.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in verb forms, sentence structure, agreement and articles. For example, “The major advantage that when pupils earn money” is missing a complete grammatical structure, while “they more deeply grasp” and “students may do not concentrate” use incorrect verb patterns. There are also problems with tense and agreement in “many universities going students did not gotten” and “There advantages is outweigh.” These errors sometimes make the intended meaning hard to follow. Practise building complete clauses and checking subject–verb agreement, verb forms and articles before adding more complex structures.

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.