Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-03

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 education sections should implement practical knowledge and a period of some time to spend for study abroad during undergraduate courses that why students achieve new jobs and make own life. there are some few disadvantages compare to advantages. There are give some example for advantages and disadvantages to student for this opinion.

The university apply that rules in study so students teach practical work experience. students do work placement so they become more confident and independent. Moreover, students must go to study aboard so that they learn about different cultural and also improve their career opportunities. For example, when learner study aboard they make their life more finically independents and responsible. In addition students want some works during their higher education therefore they can able to gain valuable skill and innovation unique things. they enhance communication skills and upgrade career prospects in their life. one anther benefit is that students adapt to a new environment. Although students interact with different perspective and opinion people , they create new ideas own self.

However, study aboard might difficult for student because that is expensive for study and their life. In terms, students struggle to adapt a new environment and face difficulties to communicate with people therefor they may experience homesickness. During work placement students achieve practical knowledge but some times they make keep a distance for theoreical knowledge. student cannot understand that acquire new knowledge is important.

In conclusion, my opinion on this point is study aboard and work placement significant for become self reliant. student understand how to develop experience and build professional networks. I can suggest that student should adapt so that they able to enhance career opportunities , develop their skills ,and also improve their finical conditions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the proposal and give a clear overall view: studying abroad and work placements are presented as beneficial for independence, skills and career prospects, while cost, adjustment and homesickness are recognised as drawbacks. These points are relevant to the question. However, the comparison in “there are some few disadvantages compare to advantages” is not developed into a clear explanation of why the benefits outweigh the costs. Several supporting ideas, such as becoming “more financially independent” and gaining “innovation unique things,” are unclear or asserted without a specific example. To strengthen the response, explain the consequences of each main point and directly weigh the disadvantages against the long-term benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on benefits, a paragraph on drawbacks and a conclusion. This makes the main direction understandable. You also use linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “In addition,” “However” and “In conclusion.” At times, though, connections feel mechanical or unclear, and several ideas are crowded together in the benefits paragraph. For example, the shift from work experience to cultural learning, financial independence and communication skills is not always explained. References such as “that” in “students adapt” and “they create new ideas” can also leave the reader unsure which people or ideas are meant. Group related points and use clearer topic sentences and references to improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “work placement,” “independent,” “homesickness,” “communication skills” and “career prospects.” These choices show an effort to discuss education and employment beyond very basic terms. However, inaccurate word forms, spelling and collocations sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “study aboard” for “study abroad,” “finically independents,” “some works,” and “innovation unique things.” Repetition of “students” and “career opportunities” also limits range. Build accuracy by learning common word partnerships and checking spelling and forms; for instance, use “gain practical experience,” “become financially independent” and “develop innovative ideas.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a reason clause in “so that they learn about different cultural…” and a contrast introduced by “Although.” The overall meaning is often recoverable, but some sentence structures and grammatical relationships are unclear. For example, “All higher education sections should implement…” has an incomplete or confusing construction, while “students teach practical work experience” does not clearly express who provides or gains the experience. There are also errors in agreement, articles and sentence boundaries, as in “student cannot understand” and the run-on sequence beginning “they enhance communication skills.” Practise building complete clauses, checking subject–verb agreement and separating related ideas with accurate punctuation.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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