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 higher institute undergraduate courses should have specific time spent studying abroad or doing a work in that place.This essay will explain the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages.

In the beginning, if the universities prefer the students to studying abroad have some benefits that students have experience the global life and make a differ between the world and own country works or experiences. How they can live their life as compared to the own homeland. Furthermore, in abroad, people learn the culture and see the historical events of that country and also curiosity to speak language of that place. But it have also the disadvantage for example, in Pakistan and other poor countries which have no possible future in those countries studying abroad can cause the GDP rate low and literary rate drops which is not in good for progress and prosperity for any country and in those countries universities offer a talented students to work in high companies that students development a positive mindset for work in own country.

Additionally, in place of study abroad students also prefer work have benefits which get practical experince while they are undergraduate and after completing education they may be recieve companies offer letter which support their expenses of daily life. For example , Nust university of Islamabad have engineering students who work before 1 year of completing their education with the sponsor companies this courage the other students determination. Moreover, it also have some consequences that only students with high grade can get sponsor and other students with average grades not get any jobs and they dont fulfill their basic needs

In sum of all, they have pros and cons, but in my opinion advantages of doing work in placement out weigh the studying abroad.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the topic by discussing both overseas study and work placements, and you give a view in the conclusion: “advantages of doing work in placement outweigh the studying abroad.” However, the position is not clear throughout: the introduction says the advantages generally outweigh the disadvantages, while the conclusion favours work placements specifically. Several relevant points are introduced, such as cultural learning and practical experience, but they are not fully explained. The claim that overseas study lowers a poor country’s GDP and literacy rate, for instance, needs a clearer explanation or evidence. To strengthen the response, state precisely which benefits outweigh which disadvantages and develop each main point with a clear reason and relevant example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and it attempts to group overseas study and work placements into separate discussions. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Additionally” and “For example” help signal relationships between ideas. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow: the first body paragraph moves from cultural benefits to national economic effects without clearly connecting them, and the final sentence of the work-placement paragraph introduces unequal access without explaining its significance. Some transitions are mechanical, and references such as “they” and “those countries” are not always clear. Use a more consistent sequence—benefit, explanation, example, then limitation—and make links between claims explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “global life,” “culture,” “historical events,” “practical experience,” and “sponsor companies,” so the reader can identify the main subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, sometimes making the intended meaning difficult to understand. Examples include “make a differ between the world,” “literary rate drops,” and “students development a positive mindset.” Spelling errors such as “experince” and “recieve” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise academic phrases and check word forms and spelling. For example, describe students as gaining “international exposure” or “work experience,” and use “literacy rate” when discussing education levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including clauses introduced by “if,” “which” and “that.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and frequent errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction can make the message difficult to follow. For example, “if the universities prefer the students to studying abroad have some benefits” lacks a clear main clause and uses an incorrect verb pattern; “it have also the disadvantage” has an agreement error; and “students … not get any jobs” needs a correctly formed verb. Punctuation and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in the opening where two sentences run together. Practise building accurate short sentences first, then combine them using controlled subordinate clauses.

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