Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

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 often argued that schools should teach children how to manage money because financial skills are essential in everyday life. I completely agree with this opinion because learning about money at an early age can help children develop responsible spending habits and prepare them for their future financial responsibilities.

The primary reason why I support this view is that financial education can help young people develop responsible spending habits. Many children are not taught how to distinguish between essential and unnecessary purchases, which can lead to poor financial decisions later in life. If schools teach students about budgeting, saving and responsible spending, they are more likely to understand the value of money. For example, students could be given a simple monthly budget and asked to decide how they would spend or save it. As a result, they could develop better financial discipline from an early age.

Another important reason is that money management skills can prepare students for adulthood. Once young people leave school, they may have to deal with expenses such as rent, bills, loans and daily necessities. Without basic financial knowledge, they may struggle to manage their income effectively. Schools can therefore provide practical lessons about saving money, avoiding unnecessary debt and planning for future expenses. This knowledge would help students become financially independent and make sensible decisions when they start working.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that schools should teach children how to manage money. Financial education can help young people develop responsible spending habits and equip them with the skills they need to handle their finances successfully in adulthood.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.5

The student has written an essay that completely misinterprets the task prompt. The actual prompt asks about primary schools focusing too much on formal learning, whether the writer agrees, and how important it is for children to play as well as learn. However, the student wrote their entire response about teaching children how to manage money. While the essay is well-written and logically structured in isolation, it fails to address the specific core prompt regarding formal learning versus play in primary schools. Because the main topic of the prompt was ignored entirely, Task Achievement suffers significantly. To achieve a higher band score, it is essential to read the task prompt carefully and ensure that all parts of the specific question asked are directly addressed throughout the response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

Despite the severe off-topic nature of the content regarding the prompt's actual question, the essay demonstrates a clear underlying structural organisation. The student uses a standard four-paragraph essay structure with an introduction, two distinct body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Logical progression is visible through the use of cohesive markers such as 'The primary reason why', 'Another important reason is that', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct sub-point related to financial education. Referencing and substitution are generally clear throughout the text. If the content had been on-topic, this organisational framework would easily support a much higher score, but coherence must also be evaluated in relation to task flow, which is moderately impacted by the irrelevant subject matter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and functional range of vocabulary for the task. Words and phrases such as 'financial responsibilities', 'distinguish between essential and unnecessary purchases', 'budgeting', and 'financially independent' show a solid command of topic-specific vocabulary related to money management. There are occasional attempts at less common lexical items, and word choices are generally appropriate and natural. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout the response. While the vocabulary is not particularly sophisticated or adventurous, it is sufficient to convey the student's arguments clearly without causing any impedance to communication. To push into higher band scores, the student should incorporate more advanced, precise collocation and less common academic phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The student successfully employs conditional structures, such as 'If schools teach students about budgeting..., they are more likely to...', and relative clauses. Grammatical accuracy is quite high; the majority of sentences are grammatically sound, with correct subject-verb agreement, appropriate verb tenses, and proper punctuation. There are virtually no grammatical errors that impede communication. The control over complex structures indicates a solid upper-intermediate grasp of English grammar. With a slightly wider variety of complex syntactic structures and even greater precision, the grammatical score could rise further.

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

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