Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-09

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)

In today's world, few people believe that primary schools focus too much on formal learning rather than informal learning.

I firstly believe that primary schools are very important for children under 6 years of age because this is the stage when they learn new things in childhood that help them in later life. It is also the age when children’s minds remember everything they have learned. For example, when people learn something at a certain age, they often forget it after a few months or years. Likewise, when children learn the alphabet at the age of 3 or 4, they can still remember it in the sequential order even many years later. This shows the strong memory power of early childhood.So, most of the schools in our country have both formal and informal learnings. As i said before, children should have both learnings and play in there initial primary school days.

On the other hand, some people argue that schools should also consider informal learning because it includes physical activity, which keeps our bodies fit and healthy. Parents or guardians want their children to have strong mental and physical health, as well as knowledge about the world. So, most schools in our country provide both formal and informal learning. As I said before, children should have both learning and play during their early primary school days.

In conclusion, although some people argue that primary schools focus too much on formal learning, I partly agree with them. Children should not only gain knowledge by reading books or newspapers, but they should also learn through physical games, which keep their brains sharp and active.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, but the development is somewhat limited. While you state your position clearly in the conclusion, the body paragraphs rely on repetitive arguments rather than exploring the nuances of the topic. For instance, you mention that schools provide both formal and informal learning twice in almost identical phrasing. To improve, you should provide more specific examples of how play-based learning facilitates cognitive or social development, rather than simply stating that it keeps bodies fit. The argument regarding memory power is interesting but could be more directly linked to the balance between formal and informal education to better satisfy the 'to what extent' aspect of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'In conclusion', 'On the other hand', and 'For example'. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by repetition. The phrase 'As I said before' is used twice, which is a mechanical way to link ideas and suggests a lack of vocabulary to transition smoothly between points. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear; for example, the connection between the memory power of children and the necessity of informal learning is not fully developed, making the flow of the argument feel slightly disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your ideas clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'formal learning', 'informal learning', and 'sequential order'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic vocabulary. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'in there initial primary school days' (should be 'their'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to pedagogy or child development, rather than repeating the same phrases throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'few people believe' in the introduction seems to contradict your intended meaning, as you likely meant 'some people'. There are also issues with punctuation and capitalization, such as 'So, most of the schools' and the lowercase 'i' in 'As i said'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures and consistent accuracy, which is necessary for a higher band score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.