Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

yes, It is a very good suggestion to include studying abroad and work placement as part of studies requirement for undergraduate students.By this, students will have exposure of working as well blend in between different kinds of cultures and people.This will help them not just during study time but also during practical life.Everyone should be encouraged to take part in this kind of activites.One of my friend who met during my undergraduate studies was quite good in this regard.He participated on all extra curricular activites like joinung new socities, participating in different contests or sports, which not just helped him in building confidence but also made him adjustable to different atmospheres.while doing a job is also as important as taking part in extra curicullar activities.It helps an individual realize the importance of money as he/she is now earning himself/herself and it shows the hardship of parents doing for their childrens.This also helps in developing a person character and also tells the person about the work environment that will be faced by him/her in the future.It is a very good idea to include both of these activities as part of studies and it should be implemented by all educational institutes.This will help students to make a balance between studies and work life.Many foreign students who studies abroad has left their countries for better opportunities has to face this dilemma to study as well as to work to manage their expenses.This is very hard as well as a very prudent practise that will help them in near future

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You take a clear position in favour of including overseas study and work placements, and you give relevant reasons, such as building confidence, adapting to different cultures and understanding working life. However, the response only partially addresses the comparison asked for: it does not explain what disadvantages these requirements might create or why the benefits outweigh them. The example about your friend focuses mainly on extracurricular activities rather than studying abroad or completing a placement, so it supports the argument only indirectly. The final point about international students balancing work and study is relevant but not clearly connected to the proposed compulsory course component. Develop both sides of the question and explain your comparison explicitly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response moves from general benefits to a personal example, then to the value of employment and a concluding recommendation, so there is some organisation. However, it is presented as one continuous block, and the progression between points is not always clear. For example, the shift from your friend’s extracurricular activities to the importance of earning money needs a clearer link to the two options in the question. Connectors such as “This will help” and “This also helps” are repeated, while the final point about foreign students feels loosely attached to the conclusion. Use separate paragraphs for the introduction, each main argument, and the conclusion, and make the relationship between ideas explicit with varied, accurate linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “exposure,” “confidence,” “work environment,” and “balance between studies and work life.” These choices help communicate your main ideas, and phrases such as “different kinds of cultures” show an attempt to discuss international experience. However, the range is limited and several expressions are inaccurate or awkward, including “blend in between,” “adjustable to different atmospheres,” and “hardship of parents doing for their childrens.” Spelling errors such as “activites,” “joinung,” and “socities” also reduce control. Aim for more precise collocations and check spelling carefully; for example, describe students as adapting to new environments and gaining practical experience.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas in longer sentences, for example when explaining how employment can develop character and introduce students to the future workplace. However, the range of structures is limited, and complex sentences often contain errors that make the reader work to understand them. Examples include “One of my friend who met during my undergraduate studies,” “Many foreign students who studies abroad,” and “has left their countries … has to face,” where agreement and sentence construction are faulty. Missing or inconsistent punctuation and capitalisation also affect readability, as in the opening “yes, It.” Practise building accurate sentences with relative clauses and subject–verb agreement, and use full stops to separate ideas that have become too long.

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