Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14

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 think that youngsters to play as well as learn in the primary school classroom. I am on the same wave length with them because of language growth and brain power.

One of the major reasons for my approval is the language growth. This is due to the fact that children build social skills in the classroom and use different words during the game which become the habit in the daily life and enhance their language skills. For instance, a survey conducted by education department has approved group games due to its productive outcomes. Therefore, group games teach young one how to share things and take turns in games and they learn about patience.

Another significant point in its favor is the increase brain power. This means that building blocks and puzzles help develop early math and logic skills in children and which incline brain power. If children to play as well as learn in the classroom boost up in the society, it can bring benefits in the form of increase in social skills and brain power solving new puzzles and games develop logic skills and physical fitness is also crucial because children needs balance between study .

To conclude, it is clear from the above mentioned points that the idea of youngsters to play as well as learn in the primary school classroom seems practical and can bring prosperity for the society and people. Therefore, it would be wise to accept this idea and promote it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, expressing a clear position on the importance of play. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention language growth and brain power, the supporting arguments lack depth and specific, illustrative examples. The reference to a 'survey conducted by education department' is too vague to be effective. Furthermore, the response falls just short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the overall task completion. To improve, you should expand on your points with more detailed explanations and ensure you meet the minimum word count to avoid a penalty.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'One of the major reasons' and 'Another significant point'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between 'group games' and 'patience' could be smoother. The concluding paragraph is a bit repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one without relying on repetitive structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. Phrases like 'on the same wave length' are informal and not ideal for an academic essay. You rely on basic vocabulary such as 'good', 'increase', and 'things'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'incline brain power' and 'youngsters to play'. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more academic vocabulary and precise collocations that demonstrate a better command of the language in a formal context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'youngsters to play' is grammatically incorrect, and 'children needs balance' shows a subject-verb agreement error. There are also issues with sentence fragments and run-on sentences, particularly in the second paragraph. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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