Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11
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)
Education has become a topic of debate in recent years. It is widely argued that schools are more concern about education and neglecting physical activities which are essential for kids. I strongly agree with this view because participating in different activities can make children more confident and self aware.
One of the primary reasons of this is that kids learn new things more quickly from an early age. Sports play a vital role in kids brain development as they develop different skills through play like sportsmanship, patience, mutual respect and also boost confidence and communication skills. As a result, engaging in sports give kids opportunity to discover their interests regarding sports. For instance, a kid who interacts with other while playing in team is able to gain knowledge about team work which helps him in practical life in future. Consequently, schools should make sure kids learn things while playing.
Similarly, another reason is that every pupil has a different capability to perform in various things. Some children are good in studies while others are good in an extracurricular activities. Schools should give children different options to perform well in other aspects of life form younger age. Furthermore, sports include physical activity which is benefit for human health as it prevents human body from different types of diseases. For instance, Ronaldo is a well-known footballer although he is dropper, his skills make him one of the best footballers. Thus, education can become more effective with the help of sports and make learning more enjoyable for kids.
In Conclusion, I strongly believe that games are equally significant for kids as education. It give students chance to gain other skills,
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 addresses both parts of the prompt: the extent of agreement and the importance of play. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the benefits of sports are discussed, the argument regarding 'formal learning' is less explored, and the example of Ronaldo is slightly tangential and lacks clear relevance to the primary school context. To reach a higher band, ensure that all examples directly support the specific argument about primary school curricula rather than general sports success.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'One of the primary reasons', 'Similarly', and 'Furthermore' are used to link sentences. However, some transitions feel mechanical, and the concluding sentence is incomplete, which disrupts the flow. Referencing is generally clear, but the connection between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother to create a more cohesive argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'schools are more concern' (should be 'concerned') and 'every pupil has a different capability to perform in various things'. The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but the use of less common lexical items is limited. Improving word choice and ensuring correct grammatical forms of words will help elevate the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement ('sports... give kids', 'It give students') and article usage ('in a team', 'in an extracurricular activities'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring that complex structures are used with greater precision.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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