Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-27

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 true that schools are the first place that shapes the young mind but a large proportion of people discusses that primary schools are more oriented towards formal learning. Apart from academics, it is pivtol for children to play outdoor and indoor games for overall development that includes mental and physical growth. Studies are not enough for children because in today's world skill and presence of mind plays significant role in job market.

At such a young age, when children are enrolled into primary institutes, the faculty members focuse more on learning instead of any other co-curriculum activity. A lot of unnecessary burden and stress is introduced to children, due to which they have to compromise to their field of interest. For instance, if a boy is completely engaged into his studies, he is not able to take out time for things he is interested in. This can lead to mental stress, which unwantedly makes him not prepared for the harsh reality of the world.

For children, playing is as important as the academics. Whenever the child faces the outside world it becomes effortless for him/her to interact and socialize with other personalities. Primary schools must enforce a schedule which take care of the physical and mental health. As a case in point, if child is free from pressure of studies it become easy for them to cope up with both the fields and ace all the subjects.

In the conclusion, I am of the opinion that a student life is full of struggles but managing studies with their hobbies and interest is something that must be taught in the initial years of schooling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the two-part prompt. The writer clearly agrees that primary schools focus too much on formal learning and explains why play is important for children. A position is presented throughout the essay, and relevant ideas are discussed regarding mental stress, social interaction, and overall development. However, the ideas tend to be somewhat generalized and lack fully elaborated specific examples or depth of extension. For instance, the example of a boy engaged in studies is brief and remains underdeveloped. This places the response comfortably at Band 6.0, as it addresses all parts of the task with relevant ideas, though some are under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraphing structure introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Logical progression is generally maintained, although some transitions feel a bit mechanical or abrupt. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as "For instance" and "As a case in point," but referencing is occasionally unclear or slightly awkward, such as mixing singular and plural pronouns ("a child" followed by "it become easy for them"). Overall, the organization is clear enough to earn a Band 6.0, meeting the descriptor where the overall arrangement is coherent, despite some faulty or repetitive use of cohesive elements.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items like "pivtol" (misspelled as pivotal), "co-curriculum," and "socialize." However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as "pivtol" instead of pivotal, "focuse" instead of focus, and awkward collocations like "discusses that" instead of argues that. Furthermore, terms are sometimes used repetitively. While communication is not impeded, these inaccuracies restrict the lexical score. Therefore, a Band 5.5 is appropriate, reflecting an adequate range that attempts less common vocabulary but contains frequent errors in spelling and word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some ambition in sentence structures. However, there are numerous grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ("presence of mind plays significant role", "schedule which take care"), preposition errors ("engaged into his studies"), and article omissions ("in today's world", "as a case in point, if child is free"). These errors occur with some frequency, though they rarely impede overall communication. This performance aligns with Band 5.5, which features a mix of simple and complex forms alongside frequent errors that can cause occasional difficulty.

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

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