Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-02
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people argue that primary schools focus too much on formal learning.
To what extent do you agree with this opinion?
How important do you think it is for children to play as well as learn in the primary school classroom?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Some people say that primary schools emphasize more on formal education. I completely disagree with this opinion, because in modern societies, primary schools' curriculum is focused on co-curricular activities along with formal learning.
Nowadays, primary schools are focusing more on formal education due to growing competition between the educational organizations. However, due to increasing awareness about informal education, institutes understand the importance of extra-curricular activities. For instance, sports and physical activities are involved in every schools' timetable, as it is equally beneficial for students' physical health.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response is significantly under the required word count of 250 words, reaching only 86 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While you state a position, the ideas are severely underdeveloped. You mention that schools focus on co-curricular activities, but you do not provide sufficient depth or examples to explore the 'extent' of your agreement or the 'importance' of play in the classroom as requested by the prompt. To improve, you must expand your arguments with detailed explanations and relevant examples to meet the minimum length requirement and fully address all parts of the question.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is too short to demonstrate a full range of cohesive devices or effective paragraphing. There is a basic attempt at logical progression, moving from your position to a brief explanation. However, the connection between the introduction and the second paragraph is somewhat abrupt. To achieve a higher band, you need to use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in contrast') to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, well-developed central theme.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the length of the text but remains quite basic. Phrases like 'emphasize more on' and 'educational organizations' are functional but lack the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There is a minor collocation error in 'every schools' timetable', which should be 'every school's timetable'. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to education, such as 'holistic development' or 'pedagogical approach', to demonstrate a more sophisticated range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The grammar is generally clear, and the sentences are mostly error-free. However, the range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple or compound sentences. There is a lack of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, which are necessary to demonstrate higher proficiency. For example, you could have used a complex structure to explain the relationship between play and cognitive development. Focus on incorporating a wider variety of sentence types to improve your grammatical range.
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