Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-25

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)

It is a debatable topic where many individuals believe that primary schools should focus more on learning and giving students learning more importance whereas some believe that student should get equal amount of time to play during there schooling. In my opinion I partially agree with it , as learning is important for student to strength their carries whereas outdoor activity maintain students fitness.

Learning in classroom makes students to achieve there primary goals. Learning in schools make students to understand core literacy. Additionally learning teaches students to maintain there academic performance as well as it teach how to maintain there valuable time which is equally helpful for academics as well as in professionalism. Primary education makes students basics strong as in future studies it play a major role in there learning.

On other hand, outdoor playing are much more beneficial for students to maintain there health. Apart from learning students should get equal amount of time for playing. A proper amount of balanced is required during there academics as some students are more oriented towards sports. During their primary schooling giving a sports time give students an opportunities to developed there carrier in sports. Additionally primary schooling should provide a coach who can train students in various sports and make students ready for the competition.

Overall, primary schools can arranged inter school challenges where students can take participant as well as it developed there skills. Makes challenges which is equally oriented towards academics and sports which makes valuable for students to understand an equal importance of both.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the extent of agreement regarding formal learning and the importance of play. However, the development is somewhat superficial. While you mention that learning is important for 'carries' (careers) and play is good for 'fitness', these ideas are not fully extended with specific examples or deep analysis. The position is clear, but the arguments remain at a general level. To improve, ensure that each body paragraph provides a concrete example or a more detailed explanation of how these concepts impact a child's development, rather than listing benefits in a repetitive manner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'On other hand', and 'Overall'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate (e.g., 'On other hand' should be 'On the other hand'). Furthermore, referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences can be choppy. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would help the progression of ideas feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite repetitive and lacks precision. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'strength their carries' (strengthen their careers) and 'developed there carrier' (develop their career). The spelling of 'there' is consistently used instead of 'their'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic expressions. Focusing on correct word forms and expanding your range of academic vocabulary will significantly improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as 'Learning in schools make students' (subject-verb agreement) and 'can arranged' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas. The frequency of errors in basic grammar—such as subject-verb agreement, verb tense, and word usage—is noticeable and occasionally distracts the reader. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate more control over complex structures and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical slips.

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