Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-29

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)

Every university courses should include a period of time spent joinning a work placement or studying in foreign countries. Although there are certain drawbacks of studying abroad or doing a job, I believe that the advantages are far more.

Admittedly, there are some drawbacks when students start studying abroad or employed for a period of time. To begin with, students may feel homesickness while living in abroad. Students will miss their parents or siblings while living in foreign country which will affect their academic performance. For instance, international students usually miss their loves one and feel lonely and as a result students cannot focus on their studies. Apart from this students are going through financial burden. While in abroad students has to pay for their tuition fees, grocery and rent which can put pressure on students.

Despite these drawbacks, the benefits of studying abroad or working in organization are often more important. Firstly, students who study abroad has better chance to get high quality education. Abroad universities may have high quality labs which can be used by students for better research. Secondly, students can work in an organization which can give them practical experience rather than just studying theory. Practical skills can be helpful for their future career. For instance, students who has one-year experience of his field has more chances to get employed quickly as compared to students who has practical experience. Finally, working in industry will develop social skills. Pupils has to deal with stranger or maybe someone twice of their age which will help students to enhance their communication skills.

In conclusion, while studying abroad or doing a job has certain difficulties, I believe that the benefits clearly outweigh disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear from the introduction to the conclusion: you believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. You address both sides and give relevant reasons, including homesickness and financial pressure as drawbacks, and educational quality, practical experience and communication skills as benefits. The examples help make the points understandable. However, some ideas are more fully explained than others: the financial burden is listed without showing how it might affect students’ ability to participate, while the claim about better-quality education abroad is general and not linked directly to the required period abroad. The employment example also repeats “practical experience” rather than illustrating its effect. More specific development and a closer link to the proposal would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph on disadvantages, a paragraph on advantages and a conclusion. Signposting such as “To begin with,” “Apart from this,” “Despite these drawbacks” and “Finally” makes the progression easy to follow. The conclusion also returns to your stated position. At times, however, the linking feels mechanical because several points are introduced in a list-like sequence. Some references are unclear or repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “students” and the shift between “students,” “pupils” and “they.” The example about employment also repeats the preceding point rather than extending it. Use a wider range of links between cause and effect, and connect each example more explicitly to the claim it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “homesickness,” “financial burden,” “practical experience” and “communication skills.” These choices show some range beyond basic everyday language. However, noticeable word-choice, collocation and spelling problems limit precision: “living in abroad,” “miss their loves one,” “work in organization” and “high quality labs” are not natural or accurate expressions, and “joinning” is misspelled. Some wording is also repetitive, especially “students” and “practical experience.” Aim to learn common word partnerships and check spelling; more precise phrasing would make your arguments sound clearer and more academic without changing their meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although there are certain drawbacks…” and a result clause in “which will affect their academic performance.” Meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. Subject–verb agreement is a particular issue: “students has to pay,” “students who study abroad has,” and “Pupils has to deal” should use plural verb forms. There are also article, number and preposition problems, as in “living in abroad” and “in foreign country.” The sentence beginning “For instance, students who has one-year experience…” contains several agreement and reference problems. Review agreement, articles and prepositions, then proofread complex sentences to ensure each clause is grammatically complete.

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