Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22

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 primary school focus too much on formal learning. I completely agree with this opinion.I believe that playing is as important as learning for young people .

On the one hand , primary school are fousing too much on formal

lreaning. This is evident because children have to study book all the day and have a lot of homework . In other words we say that they have not enough time for playing and doing other exercises. For instance most private schools give student a lot of homework after coming back school children in their home Dp schoolwork . Just formal learning or too much study is cause of anxiety and stress in life of school ages. Nowadays because of mobile phone and exam , children under pressure loss therir creativity.

On the other hand playing is also important as formal learning. It helps us maintain physical and mental health in same way. For instance teachers taught the student like ABC as a game in this way he learn easily and remember for long time . Another reason when children play in ground with friends he also share their idea and do groupwork it also boosts their confidence and motivation.

In my opinion play game is important as formal learning it help us to learn cooperation and patience and other qualities of society. In this way we also connect with studies.

In conclusion, formal learning is important for student but playing game is equally important for learner to say connected with study.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the two-part prompt by explicitly agreeing that primary schools focus too much on formal learning and discussing the importance of play alongside study. The position is clear throughout the essay. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. For instance, the discussion on stress and anxiety is mentioned briefly without deep elaboration, and the points regarding how play aids learning are somewhat generalised. Despite these limitations, all core aspects of the task are covered relevantly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is generally coherent with an overall logical arrangement, dividing the response into a clear introduction, two body paragraphs addressing the prompts, and a brief conclusion. Paragraphing is attempted, though paragraph boundaries and transitions are sometimes basic or mechanical, relying on phrases like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. Cohesive devices are occasionally used inaccurately, such as referencing issues ('he learn easily and remember for long time') and abrupt shifts in sentences. Progression is sometimes hindered by these structural lapses, but the overall message remains understandable.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The lexical resource is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey basic ideas about education, stress, and play. However, the vocabulary is often repetitive and simplistic, with numerous word-form and spelling errors throughout the text (such as 'fousing', 'lreaning', 'therir', 'play game'). While there are some attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'anxiety', 'motivation', and 'cooperation', frequent inaccuracies in word choice and collocation prevent higher lexical scoring. Communication is rarely impeded, but the lack of precise control is evident.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though complex structures frequently contain errors. There are numerous grammatical inaccuracies throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement errors ('primary school are fousing', 'children under pressure loss'), missing articles ('study book all the day'), and tense inconsistencies ('teachers taught the student like ABC as a game in this way he learn'). Punctuation is also erratic in places, with missing spaces around commas. These frequent errors cause occasional difficulty for the reader, aligning closely with the Band 5 descriptors.

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

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