Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-28

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)

It is thougnt that all tertiary undergraduate programs should have a period of time studying abroad or doing a work placement. The primary advantages of studying abroad are the job opportunities and connections. On the other hand, gaining practical experience provide practical experience. I believe that the merits outweighs the drawback.

Studying abroad gives students work opportunities because some countries are underdeveloped which they cannot provide what the student needs. For example, in the Philippines a lot of young filipinos decide their future by migrating to another country because of the minimum wage. By giving the opportunity to study abroad learners can acquire new language which can open certain connections and job offers that can be beneficial to them. Highly developed countries such as United States, employers require students to communicate English fluently.

On the other hand, working placement offers hands-on experience which can be useful to their work to become efficient. Practical skills can help them apply and perform their theory education to achieve a positive result in their work. In addition, exposing themselves to a lot of cases that are connected to their field can help them foster their work skills. For example, healthcare workers specifically surgeons cannot afford to make mistakes as they are treating a vulnerable person, making even a small mistake can cause detrimental effect. Consequently, the more cases the student is exposed the more precise will they work in their field.

In conclusion, studying abroad exposes students to a various of job opportunities and connections, while work placement cultivate practical skills. I believe that the benefits outweighs the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both options in the prompt—studying abroad and work placements—and state a clear overall view that their benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The examples about Filipino students seeking opportunities overseas and surgeons gaining experience are relevant. However, the response does not fully develop the comparison: it explains possible benefits but gives little attention to disadvantages, despite the question asking whether advantages outweigh them. Some claims also need clearer support; for instance, the link between studying abroad and job opportunities is asserted rather than explained in detail, and the point about underdeveloped countries is not clearly connected to the requirement for all courses. Develop both sides and explain why the benefits are more significant.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs on studying abroad and work placements, and a conclusion. The progression from international opportunities to practical experience is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the other hand,” “In addition,” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some effective paragraphing. To make the flow more consistently smooth, clarify links between ideas and avoid transitions that suggest a contrast where none is developed. For example, the work-placement paragraph begins “On the other hand,” but it presents another advantage rather than a disadvantage. More precise referencing and a clearer comparison of benefits and drawbacks would strengthen cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “work placement,” “hands-on experience,” “practical skills,” “job offers,” and “detrimental effect.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and some less common expressions show an attempt to be precise. However, word choice and collocation are sometimes inaccurate or repetitive: “offers hands-on experience which can be useful to their work to become efficient” is awkward, while “a various of job opportunities” is not idiomatic. “Practical experience provide practical experience” repeats the same idea. Spelling and capitalisation also need attention, as in “thougnt” and “filipinos.” Build accuracy by checking collocations and choosing concise, natural phrases rather than repeating key words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “because,” “which,” and “as,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, errors in agreement, sentence construction, and articles occur often enough to limit accuracy. For example, “gaining practical experience provide” should have a singular verb, and “the merits outweighs” should use a plural verb form. The sentence beginning “For example, in the Philippines…” contains an unclear clause structure, while “the more cases the student is exposed the more precise will they work” needs a preposition and a more natural comparative construction. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and building complex sentences around a clear main clause.

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