Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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)

Some people argue that the primary schools place too much emphasis on formal learning. I partially agree with this point of view because childrens develop their basic skills during primary school time. But childrens feel stress while studying all day.

Formal education is essential because it helps childrens to develop thier basic skills like reading, writing and mathematics. These foundations play a vital role in their future education. For instance, a child who develops his basic skills during primary schools may help him in advance studies. He will not face any problem in future. Formal education keeps childrens in classrooms most of the time. Formal education is helpful for those childrens who cannot maintain balance between their studies and other activities.

However, too much formal learning may have negetive impacts on young childrens. Childrens should play any game as well with their studies because they can refresh their minds. In Addition, they need oppertunities to develop social and physical skills. For example, a child who will communicate with their friends may gain confidence to perform on bigger stage. He will not feel hesitation with communicating with others.

For this reason, play is important in primary shools classrooms. Teachers should teach childrens by giving them practical examples. Childrens can perform better in final examinations if they maintain focus between play and studies.

In conclusion, I partly agree that primary schools can sometimes place too much emphasis on formal learning. Although academic education is necessary, children also need regular opportunities to play. A balanced approach can help them develop academically, socially and physically.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the task: whether primary schools focus too much on formal learning, and the importance of play alongside learning. The candidate takes a clear, partial stance, acknowledging the necessity of academic foundations while advocating for play. Ideas are presented and supported with examples, such as mentioning how play helps children build confidence and social skills. However, some ideas feel slightly repetitive, particularly the points regarding basic skills and stress. The arguments are relevant and cover all prompt requirements, but they would benefit from deeper extension and more sophisticated elaboration to reach a higher band. Overall, the response fulfills the basic requirements of task response adequately, earning a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is structured into five distinct paragraphs, demonstrating a clear overall organization with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing both sides of the prompt, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'However', 'In Addition', and 'For example'. However, referencing and cohesion can be somewhat mechanical or repetitive, particularly with the frequent use of short, simple sentence transitions. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate distinct ideas, though some internal paragraph logic lacks smooth progression. Overall, the arrangement of ideas is coherent and easy to follow, justifying a Band 6.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with appropriate topic-specific terms like 'formal education', 'academic education', and 'social and physical skills'. However, there are notable spelling errors throughout the essay, most frequently with the plural form 'childrens' instead of 'children', as well as spelling mistakes such as 'negetive' and 'oppertunities'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, with frequent reliance on basic words and phrases. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they restrict the lexical score. This performance aligns best with Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures like conditional and relative clauses ('a child who develops his basic skills...'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are recurrent errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage, alongside the persistent morphological error of pluralising 'children' as 'childrens'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while the errors occasionally cause minor awkwardness, they rarely impede overall communication. The grammatical control reflects a standard typical of a Band 5.5 performance.

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