Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-31
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)
Learning is an essential skill for every student. It is oftenly believed by some individuals that educational institutes majorly focus on traditional learning. I strongly agree with this view because focusing towards teaching from only books can impact students to underperform in physical tasks.
Primarily, Learning traditional subjects will not only build essential core concepts and fundamentals, but it also creates foundational knowledge for students. Although, teaching concepts to students is important for doing well in exams and promoting the academics, ignoring to indulge students in physical and extracurricular activities impacts negatively when learners try to engage in other real time events. For instance, if a student is trained only to be a book geek then he is more likely to not participate in any sports or entertainment activities due to under-confidence.
Secondly, Practical skills are becoming more and more vital for every student because of demanding work culture which expects to hire a highly skilled professional with multi-talent. Teaching subjects can help students nurture with knowledge, alongside if practical skill are incorporated in regular school curriculum; which can help disadvantaged students to learn physical skills and practice regularly with enough resources, where they have to implement their knowledge in real time, this will make individuals extremely skilled.
In
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 209 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the arguments remain superficial and lack sufficient supporting examples. While the essay addresses both parts of the prompt—the focus on formal learning and the importance of play—the discussion is underdeveloped. The conclusion is missing entirely, which prevents a clear summary of the position. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and provide a clear, structured conclusion to ensure all parts of the task are fully addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a basic level of organization with the use of linking words like 'Primarily' and 'Secondly'. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete nature of the text. Paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is cut off mid-sentence ('In'), which disrupts the flow. Cohesive devices are used, but they are sometimes mechanical or incorrectly placed, such as the use of 'Although' at the start of a sentence without a following main clause. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are linked more naturally throughout the entire response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for expressing basic ideas but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'oftenly believed' (incorrect adverb formation) and 'book geek' (too informal for an academic essay). The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on repetitive structures. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to education and child development. Avoid informal or slang expressions and ensure that your word forms are accurate to convey your meaning more effectively.
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. Examples include 'focusing towards teaching' (incorrect preposition), 'ignoring to indulge' (incorrect verb pattern), and 'alongside if practical skill are incorporated' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the misuse of commas and the incomplete final sentence. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of prepositions. Proofreading for common errors like pluralization and verb forms will help increase your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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