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)

Many Individuals are debating about whether the primary schools focus on formal education too much or not.

I reckon that schools do focus on Mental Learning rather than physical education. As, I was once a student and my school used to prepare their students on theoretical learning rather than pragmatic. Mugging up formulas from books is what they wanted but you can never learn to drive when you are only reading the manual, you have to apply the steps on manual on the in order to drive a car. Same as this instance, we have to teach students to apply the formulas in the books to real life.

There are many other professions that requires physical abilities in an individual but if a kid who had only formal education at school how will he know he is going to be a best fit for that role.

Playing itself is a form of learning to a child. They discover many things when they do, for instance, A child making a Castle in a sand would make a good Architecture in Future or a kid who loves to run could be Marathon Runner when he grows up. Moreover, A child who likes to play hide or seek can invoke his passion to become a police officer.

In my Opinion, both forms of education are essential for a growing child. and should be balanced in schools to prepare their students for a brighter future ahead as life is full of possibilities you never know what skills you'll need in your journey.

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 provide a personal example about driving and some general ideas about future professions, the arguments lack depth and academic rigor. The position is clear, but the supporting points are slightly repetitive and rely on informal phrasing (e.g., 'Mugging up'). To reach a higher band, ensure that your examples are more sophisticated and that you fully explore the implications of your arguments rather than listing them briefly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, 'Same as this instance' is an awkward transition. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. While there is an overall logical arrangement, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the occasional misuse of transitions limit the coherence of the response. Improving the variety of cohesive devices would significantly enhance the readability of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on informal or colloquial expressions such as 'Mugging up' and 'best fit'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'Mental Learning' instead of 'academic' or 'theoretical' learning. While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'pragmatic' and 'Architecture', these are not always used in the most natural way. To improve, focus on learning collocations and using more formal, academic synonyms for common verbs and adjectives.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow, such as 'Many Individuals are debating about whether the primary schools focus...' (unnecessary 'the') and '...if a kid who had only formal education at school how will he know...' (missing auxiliary verb/clunky structure). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization (e.g., 'Architecture', 'Marathon Runner'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent sentence construction.

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

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