Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-14
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 5.0)
A SECTION OF SOCIETY BELIEVES THAT FORMAL LEARNING IS MORE IMPORTANT IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS, WHEREAS OTHERS BELIEVE PLAY TIME IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THEM. I PARTLY AGREE.
In primary school, children learn more quickly. THEY LEARN BASIC SKILLS AND SUBJECTS SUCH AS MATHS, WRITING , READING AN SO ON. THEY NEED TO KNOW SOME RULES AS WELL SO THEY WILL NOT BREAK THEM , AND SOME EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS AS WELL SO THEY CAN USE THOSE NUMBER WHEN THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO USE THAM. IN PRIMARY SCHOOL TIME THEY WERE LIKE PLANE PAPER , WHAT EVER YOU WRITE THAT WILL NEVER REMOVE FROM THEIR BRAIN FOR FULL LIFE. THEY LEARN REGULAR LESSONS AND DISCIPLANE AS WELL. TJEY CAN HANDLE AND COUNT A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY. THEY ALSO LEARN SOME SHOPPING SKILLS.
ON THE OTHER HAND , PLAY IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN . THEY CAN DEVELOP THEIR PROBLEM SOLVING SKILL . THEY ALSO LEARN TEAM WORK. FOR EXAMPLE IF THEY PLAY FOOTBALL THEY KNOW HOW TEAM WILL WORK AND IMPORTANT. THEY BECOME MORE CREATIVE. PLAY CAN REDUCES THEIR STRESS AND PREVENT CHILDREN FROM BECOMING BORED. GAMES ALSO TEACH THEM COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
IN CONCLUSION, PRIMARY SCHOLL LEARNING ANF PLAY IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN. SCHOOLS NEED TO FOCUS ON BOTH OF THEM. SCHOOL NEED SOME SMALL PLACE FOR CHILDRENS ENTERTAINMENT SO THEY CAN FELL RELX OVER THEIR AND AGAIN PUTT THIR FULL FOUCSE ON STUDIES AGAIN.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student addresses both parts of the prompt (the role of formal learning versus play in primary school). However, the response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, coming in at 237 words. This under-length impacts the depth of development, resulting in points that feel somewhat truncated. For instance, the discussion on play correctly notes problem-solving and teamwork, but the examples lack sufficient extension. The position is stated clearly in the introduction and conclusion, but the overall task fulfillment is constrained by the length penalty, aligning the performance with a Band 5.0 descriptor for failing to fully develop all parts of the task due to length.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into logical paragraphs with an introduction, two body paragraphs focusing on formal learning and play respectively, and a conclusion. However, the excessive use of capitalisation throughout parts of the text detracts from the professional presentation. Cohesive devices are used simply (e.g., 'ON THE OTHER HAND', 'FOR EXAMPLE'), and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'WHEN THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO USE THAM' where pronoun reference is ambiguous. Overall arrangement is coherent, but referencing and paragraph-internal cohesion show mechanical patterns, supporting a Band 6.0 rating.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Words like 'important', 'learn', and 'skills' are used frequently without much variation. There are also noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'DISCAPLANE' (discipline), 'PLAN PAPER' (plain paper), and 'SCHOLL' (school). While communication is not heavily impeded because the intended meaning remains clear, the presence of these errors and the limited lexical range restrict the score to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and compound sentences, with very limited successful complex structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and punctuation (e.g., 'WHAT EVER YOU WRITE THAT WILL NEVER REMOVE FROM THEIR BRAIN', 'PLAY CAN REDUCES THEIR STRESS', and spacing before punctuation marks). The continuous use of all-caps in sections further highlights control issues. Because these errors are frequent and often cause the reader some difficulty, the performance fits Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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