Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

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)

Certain individuals debate that primary school mainly focus on formal academic learning. I strongly agree with this view because nowadays elementary schools are heavily focused on academics rather than overall development of the child. Furthermore, I believe it is very crucial for the children to engage in sports as well as study to maintain good health and fitness.

Firstly, the provision of formal learning in classroom will never be indispensable , as it equips the children with the necessary problem solving skills. This knowledge is essential for the children to have a better career growth that offers them a secure future. In addition, formal academic education is necessary to compete in practical life. For instance, individuals with better education and better scores end up having a high paid job in comparison to the person which do not have any critical thinking and issue resolving skills.

On the other hand, sports are other physical activities should never be ignored. Sports offer a number of benefits, not only they keep you physically fit but also help in relaxing your mind. Playing sports teaches you communication skills, team-work, and handling difficult situations. For example, people engaged in playing cricket, hockey, or football have better communication and team-work skills. But, your formal education must not be affected and a balance should be maintained between these two.

In conclusion, several people argue that the grade schools are more focused on formal education learning and I fully believe that these schools are not balancing sports with formal study that affects a child development. Sports are very important in a student's life as it helps them learn new skills and learn to tackle different life situations, so a balance must be maintained between formal education and students taking part in sports.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: whether primary schools focus too much on formal learning, and the importance of play alongside study. The writer takes a clear position and supports it with explanations and examples. However, the development of ideas contains a slight contradiction; in the second paragraph, the writer argues that formal learning is 'indispensable' for career growth, which slightly conflicts with the initial stance that schools focus 'too much' on academics. Despite this slight argumentative wobble, all parts of the task are addressed, earning a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as 'sports are other physical activities' (instead of 'or other'), and some logical transitions feel mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to structure the argument, resulting in a clear overall progression. This fits the Band 6.0 descriptor well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The writer attempts a fair range of vocabulary suitable for an academic essay, using terms like 'indispensable', 'communication skills', and 'physical fitness'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'primary school mainly focus' (should be focuses), 'the person which do not have' (should be who does not have), and 'education learning'. Some vocabulary is also repetitive, like the overuse of 'formal learning' and 'sports'. These inaccuracies place the lexical performance solidly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or relative clauses. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('primary school mainly focus'), pronoun errors ('the person which'), and missing articles or prepositions ('a child development' instead of 'a child's development'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur regularly enough to prevent the score from reaching a Band 7.0, making Band 6.0 appropriate.

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

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