Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-01

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)

Many of people believe that all University undergraduate subjects should add a period of time spent learning abroad or doing a related subjects

work. Although compulsory studying abroad have many drawbacks , i think its benefits are outweigh the disadvantages because students can learn more practically and gain skills.

On the one hand, there are lot of drawbacks of University styudents have to going abroad for particular subject. Because some students background are not enough to going foreign to study and it create pressure on them. For example, Students who manage their study fees by doing part-time job and also who take responsibilty of their family feel unmotivated and lose to achieve that opportunity. So , i think that people wants to work placement in own country.

On the other hand, Students can learn lot of skill and gain more ideas by doing practically. I think, it can make greater role on develop innovation and other sectors. For exmaple, when students gets that type opportunity they can get experience and also can show their ideas on own counrty that helps to increase our manpower. So, i believe that students should be spent time on abroad and give them chance to work on usge companies.

In conclusion, many of the students are not capable to spent much time on study abroad while only some students can afford. So, University should make it option either work placement i own country or concern with government and approach for some fund to give unwealthy background students that opportunity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the question and give a clear overall view: you believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks because students can learn practically and gain skills. The points about financial pressure and family responsibilities are relevant, as is the claim that placements can build experience and benefit students’ home countries. However, some ideas are only briefly explained. For instance, the practical learning benefit is asserted but not illustrated with a specific skill or example, and the conclusion shifts towards making placements optional or funding them, rather than clearly reaffirming whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Develop each main point with a fuller explanation and keep the final position consistent with your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for disadvantages and advantages, and a conclusion. The contrast between “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” helps readers follow the two sides, and examples are placed alongside the relevant claims. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear: the first body paragraph moves from students’ financial circumstances to the preference for working in one’s own country without fully connecting the steps. Some linking phrases, such as “So, i think,” feel mechanical, and the conclusion introduces solutions that have not been developed earlier. Make the relationship between each claim and its consequence explicit, and use referencing and transitions more precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “work placement,” “responsibility,” “experience,” “innovation,” and “manpower.” These choices show an attempt to discuss education and employment rather than relying entirely on basic terms. However, the range and control are limited, and several inaccurate or unclear expressions make meaning harder to follow. For example, “related subjects work,” “lose to achieve that opportunity,” and “work on usge companies” do not communicate the intended ideas naturally. Spelling errors such as “styudents,” “responsibilty,” and “exmaple” also reduce accuracy. Build a bank of precise collocations for placements, affordability, and practical skills, and check spelling and word forms during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although compulsory studying abroad have many drawbacks” and a conditional example beginning “when students gets that type opportunity.” This shows some willingness to vary sentence structure. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction occur often enough to make parts of the response difficult to read. Examples include “students background are,” “students have to going abroad,” “students can be spent time,” and “University should make it option.” Some sentences also begin with “Because” but are not clearly connected to a main clause. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and verb patterns, then proofread each sentence for a complete, clearly structured clause.

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