Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07
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)
People believe that the schools invest most of its time in formal learning at primary schools. I completely agree with this statement. According to me, playing and learning simultaneously in the middle school play a vital role for the young person because it shapes their personality.
Development of a child's attitude takes places in the early stage of primary school. This depends on the environment, nature of teachers, lesson taught by them and behaviour of people around them. A practical exposure is very important aspect; so, they have to be encouraged to enjoy as well as study. This helps them to learn about themselves. For example, by supporting children in playing sports and pursuing good grade parents get to know their child's interests.
Youngsters gradually development a sense of responsibility and respect toward elders from an age around 7 years. From the everyday experiences in the classroom and among their friends, teachers and family members they learn morals and ethics to be followed in a society. This helps them transform into a better human being. These qualities in children significantly impact their future self. It is said that a child reflects the personality of the people around him. For example, great freedom fighter are exposed to an environment influenced by love and pride towards the nation. Whereas, a criminal is exposed to cruelty and selfishness.
Therefore, in classroom of primary school it is equally important for the youth to study along with playing. As this can result in good practical knowledge and social responsibility.
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 regarding formal learning and the importance of play. However, the development is somewhat superficial. The arguments regarding personality development and moral education are relevant but lack specific, concrete examples that directly link to the classroom environment. For instance, the example of 'great freedom fighters' is tangential and does not clearly illustrate how primary school play specifically fosters these traits. The position is clear, but the supporting ideas could be more deeply explored to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a central theme. There is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the transition 'A practical exposure is very important aspect; so, they have to be encouraged'. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as the shift from 'primary school' to 'middle school' in the introduction, which creates confusion regarding the scope of the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'children', 'people', and 'learning'. While the student attempts to use some academic vocabulary (e.g., 'simultaneously', 'significantly impact'), there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'pursuing good grade' instead of 'achieving good grades' and 'great freedom fighter' which is grammatically and contextually slightly off. The range is sufficient to convey meaning but does not demonstrate a sophisticated command of collocation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'the schools invest most of its time' (subject-verb agreement), 'development a sense' (incorrect verb form), and 'in classroom of primary school' (missing article). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Punctuation is generally functional, though the use of semicolons and commas could be more precise.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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