Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In today's world, studying or working in foreign countries is a huge deal. University undergraduate curriculum should introduce a course where indivisuals should spend a significant period studying abroad or doing a work placement. There can several advantages and disadvantages of this course.

To begin with, the advantage of practicing abroad can give students an international exposure which can help them boosting their resume. For instance, if a college introduces this type of course it can assist learners to increase their skills which can further help them in landing a high paying job after graduation. In addition, students will get to know about other countries culture and history.

On the other hand, there are also few disadvantages of this course. If a university decides to add this type of program it's gonna cost a lot. For example, the universities decide to inculde this course but it's gonna cost them a fortune which will result in a massive increase in student fees. Someone who is willing to study abroad wouldn't be able to afford the fees. Moreover, there are safety issues these days in other countries.

From my perspective, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Exposure to the international market adds a strong value to the resume. If a student couldn't afford the fees he can always try to apply from third party apps.

To encapsulate, undergraduate courses should inculde a period of time spent studying in abroad or doing work placement in their curriculum. There are few disadvantages about it. Although, it has many postive aspects which help students become successful

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear answer to the question in the final body paragraph, stating that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and you discuss relevant benefits and drawbacks. The points about international exposure, employment prospects, cultural learning, cost and safety show that you understand the topic. However, the response addresses the issue only partially because several ideas are asserted rather than explained. For example, the link between studying abroad and getting a “high paying job” needs a more specific explanation or example, while safety concerns are mentioned without showing how they affect students. The suggestion to use “third party apps” is also unclear and does not convincingly answer the affordability concern. Develop fewer points with clearer support and explain why the benefits outweigh the costs and risks.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, a stated opinion, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “To begin with,” “On the other hand,” and “To encapsulate” helps readers follow the main stages. This meets the lower-band expectation of an organised response, and some progression is evident. However, connections between ideas are sometimes mechanical, and the conclusion largely repeats the introduction rather than drawing the argument together. The final paragraph also introduces the “third party apps” point without a clear link to the earlier discussion of university fees. Use referencing and transitions more precisely, and make the conclusion briefly synthesise the strongest reason for your position rather than restating the same claims.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “international exposure,” “student fees,” “safety issues,” and “resume.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “landing a high paying job,” although some combinations are informal or imprecise for an academic essay. The range remains limited, with repeated use of “course,” “students,” and “help,” and noticeable spelling errors such as “indivisuals,” “inculde,” and “postive.” Phrases like “huge deal” and “cost them a fortune” are conversational, while “third party apps” is not sufficiently clear in context. Aim for more precise academic wording and check spelling; vary repeated terms only when the alternatives fit naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including conditional structures such as “If a university decides to add this type of program…” and a relative clause in “which can further help them…”. The main meaning is generally understandable, but errors occur across sentence patterns and sometimes make the writing less clear. Examples include “There can several advantages,” which is missing a verb, and “a course where individuals should spend,” where the clause does not express the intended requirement accurately. In “If a student couldn't afford the fees he can always try,” the conditional forms do not match, and punctuation is needed after the opening clause. Practise accurate clause construction, articles and agreement, and use a wider range of structures only when you can control them.

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