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)

Education is the foundation of a successful and progressive society. It can also play a crucial role in shaping individuals' future. However, all universities bachelors courses should include a period apent learning in foreign countries or doing a work placement. There are several advantages in terms of gaining experience and more knowledge apart from their comfort zone, while there are also certain drawbacks that should not be overlooked. In this essay I would argue why I believe that its benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

One of the benefit is pupils can gain more expercience by visiting other countries. Students may be able to perform difficult tasks on their own and may work long hours along with their studies. This may develop a sense of resposibility and discipline in them. Another possible advantage is that they can gain more knowledge and can also learn about different cultures and traditions .This may enhace their critical thinking about different things. For instance, they can do reseach and may be able to communicate other people while doing group works. Overall, they may have broaden view of different aspects of life.

Despites all these advatages there are also certain disadvantages, students may struggle with their health. Some of the students may also sufer from emotional and physical stress. They may also find it difficult to balance their diet, apart from their studies and work load. Howvere, inspite these disadvantages I believe that its advantages outweigh disadvantages and universities courses should be taught in other countries for a particular period of time. Due to exposing to new things and new teachers they can enhance their learning.

In conclusion, the advantages of universities of all university courses should include a period spent studying abroad ouweigh its disadvatages

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall view that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and you address both sides by discussing experience, cultural learning, and possible health or stress problems. These are relevant points, but several are asserted rather than explained: for example, you say students may gain experience and responsibility without showing specifically how a placement or time abroad produces lasting benefits. The discussion of disadvantages is also brief, and the conclusion does not fully restate the reasoning behind your position. The claim that courses “should be taught in other countries” narrows the proposal, which also allows work placements, and does not clearly reflect the task’s full scope. Develop fewer points with concrete examples and explain why the advantages outweigh the costs.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph on advantages, a paragraph on disadvantages and a conclusion. This gives the reader an overall route through your argument, and phrases such as “Another possible advantage” and “In conclusion” help signal stages. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear. The advantages paragraph moves from independent tasks to culture, research and communication without fully connecting these ideas, while the disadvantages paragraph combines health, stress and diet in a list. Some linking is mechanical or awkward, as in “Despites all these advantages” and “However, inspite these disadvantages.” Use clearer topic sentences and explain the relationship between each supporting example and the main point; ensure references such as “they” have an unmistakable antecedent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “critical thinking,” “different cultures and traditions,” “emotional and physical stress,” and “sense of responsibility.” This shows an attempt to discuss education and personal development, but the range is limited and several word choices or combinations are inaccurate, sometimes making the meaning less clear. Examples include “more knowledge apart from their comfort zone,” “broaden view,” and “universities courses should be taught in other countries.” Spelling errors such as “expercience,” “resposibility,” and “disadvatages” are also noticeable. Build a more precise set of phrases for placements and international study, and check spelling and collocations carefully. More accurate wording would make your ideas easier to follow and sound more academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “while” and a conditional structure in “Students may be able to perform difficult tasks on their own.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in sentence construction, agreement, articles and prepositions sometimes make the argument difficult to read. For example, “One of the benefit is” has a number-agreement problem, and “in spite these disadvantages” is missing a required preposition. The sentence beginning “Despite all these advantages there are also certain disadvantages, students may struggle with their health” joins two independent clauses incorrectly. Practise accurate clause boundaries, singular and plural agreement, and article use, then proofread each sentence. Greater control of these patterns would make your varied sentence attempts more effective.

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