Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-02

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)

All unviversities should allow undergraduate students who enrolled in undergraduate courses to spend some of their abroad for study purposes or to do work in foriegn country. I believe that it may offers some benefits for studnets for their grooming and gaining some knowledge, although it has also some drawbacks which i will explain in the essay.

On one side, allowing students to spend some of their time to study abroad or work allow students to gain practical knowledge and experience. In foriegn universities prepare students for their upcoming challenges in their professional life. For instance, in many abroad nations universities are focusing more on practical knowledge instead of theoritical which is very beneficial for students and help them finding a more prfessional jobs they want. Furthermore, it also give students financial freedom. To illustrates this a lot of insituations sending their educators abroad for internship which offers some time for students to gain practical knowledge, experience and also to earn a reasonable amount of money which give them a sence of responsiblily.

On the other side, allowing students to go abroad has also some drawbacks. One of them is they may focus more on work rather than education. Many individuals who have been sent by their instituations abroad are distracted because in foriengn countries there are more work oppertunities. So students gets lost and start working which may give them a short term benfits but in a long run it is very harmful for their life. For instance, last year Pakistan'sgovernment universities sent some of their students abroad for internships and specializations. Almost all of the students left their education for what they have been sent by the government.

In conclusion, Although it has some drawbacks but it offers so many advantages and long term success for students. I believe that, students should be given a chance to study and work abroad.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the question and give a clear overall view: the conclusion says the advantages bring “long term success,” so the reader can see that you support the proposal despite its drawbacks. Relevant benefits include practical experience, employment prospects and financial independence, while the risk of students abandoning their studies provides a counterargument. However, some points are not fully explained. For example, the claim that foreign universities focus more on practical learning needs a clearer link to how a placement or overseas study benefits undergraduates. The Pakistan example is specific, but its broad claim that almost all participants left their education would be more convincing with context or explanation. Develop these points and compare the scale of the benefits and risks more directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “On one side,” “On the other side,” and “In conclusion” make the main stages easy to follow, and the ideas generally progress within each paragraph. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent overall arrangement and also shows some stronger control through paragraphing and a logical sequence. To make cohesion more natural and precise, avoid relying so heavily on formulaic transitions and improve links between claims and examples. For instance, “To illustrates this” introduces an example, but the following sentence shifts to institutions sending educators rather than clearly explaining the student benefit. Use clearer referencing and transitions that show the exact relationship between each supporting detail and its point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “practical knowledge,” “professional life,” “work opportunities,” and “financial freedom.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, but the range is limited and several expressions are inaccurate or awkward, sometimes making the reader pause. Examples include “spend some of their abroad,” “work in foreign country,” and “a more professional jobs”; spelling errors such as “unviversities,” “foriegn,” and “responsiblily” are also noticeable. Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, describe students as undertaking “a placement overseas” or “gaining international work experience,” and use “career prospects” rather than the less natural phrasing about finding professional jobs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a concession in the introduction and a conditional-style contrast in “which may give them a short term benefits but in a long run it is very harmful.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction recur. For example, “it may offers” should use the base form after “may,” while “allowing students … allow students” has a subject–verb agreement problem. “In foreign universities prepare students” is also an incomplete or incorrectly formed sentence. These issues sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Practise building accurate complex sentences, especially with subordinate clauses, and check agreement and article use when editing.

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