Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-31

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)

In this competitive world, some people believe that studying abroad should be the period of undergraduate courses. Although this approach a various predicaments but its advantages outweigh their drawbacks. In my opinion, it is very favourable for students education because it is the best way of practical experiences at new place.

On the one hand, there are several benefits of studying abroad of undergraduated individuals it provide a great chance to for practical experiences such as if there is an student inmedical feild they can complete their training at any medical institute and as well as if there is a student of marketing field they can do practical in any componies and get a experince and they acquire knowledge baout what they learn theoretically. Also it provide many financial benfits such as students can do part time job and can fulfil their economic desires and also can helpes their families.

On the other hand, there are numerous drawbacks of studying abroad. Firstly, it very expensive including studies, travel expense and other living standard and all these things cannot be easily afford by low income family. In addition, one of the main probelm that they often face is language barrier and they have to face difficulties even in routine work and sometimes many individuals decided to come back after spending few months because they cannot survive there.

In conclusion, some people belive that studying abroad should include in courses of undergraduate because it has several benefits such as get better practical experinces and better job but it has also some drawbacks such as language barrier but in my opinion students should go abroad for better practices and good employment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the question and state a clear overall view: the benefits of overseas study or placement outweigh the drawbacks. Relevant examples include medical students training at an institute and marketing students gaining practical experience, while cost and language barriers provide counterarguments. However, the response focuses almost entirely on studying abroad and gives little attention to work placements, although the prompt presents these as alternatives. Some points are also asserted rather than fully explained: for example, part-time work is said to help students and their families, but its connection to the overall value of the proposal is not developed. Explain the comparison more directly and extend the examples to show why the advantages outweigh the costs and adjustment difficulties.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. The contrast signposts “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” help readers follow the main direction. Within paragraphs, however, several ideas are crowded into long sentences, especially the examples of medical and marketing students, making the relationships between points less clear. Linking words such as “also” are repeated, and the conclusion largely restates earlier points rather than drawing them together. Improve progression by giving each paragraph a clear central claim, then explaining and illustrating it in separate sentences. More precise references to “these placements” or “such experience” would also make connections between ideas clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “practical experiences,” “financial benefits,” “language barrier,” and “employment,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. There are, however, frequent spelling and word-choice problems that make some phrases difficult to interpret, such as “undergraduated individuals,” “inmedical feild,” “componies,” and “economic desires.” Several expressions are also unnatural or imprecise, including “living standard” for living costs and “better practices” for practical experience. Build accuracy by checking spelling and learning common collocations for education, work, and expenses. A more controlled range of precise phrases would make your argument clearer and more academic without requiring unnecessarily complicated vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although this approach…” and a conditional example beginning “if there is a student…”. However, errors in sentence structure and basic grammar occur often enough to affect clarity. For example, “Although this approach a various predicaments but…” has an incomplete clause and an unnecessary “but,” while “it provide” and “students can… and can helpes” show problems with subject–verb agreement and verb forms. Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in “if there is an student” and the long sentence joining several examples with “and.” Practise building complete clauses, checking singular/plural agreement, and separating examples into shorter sentences. This will help your complex structures communicate ideas more reliably.

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