Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-02

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 individuals dispute that primary schools observe too much on foundation learning. I am disagree with this debate because in my opinion at that time pupils learned more and they have fresh mind they can catch things easily thats why it is the best time to concentrate more on students.

From my perspective at the early stages of school students are fresh and they seek eveything and also take interest but it is also significant for children to play in classroom when they are learning in class.There must be a playing tools for students to make them feel happy because when students learn they also get bore and not taking interest in studies .From my point of view , if there would be toys and other things to play students will happy and their minds will be fresh. But if there will only study to do than they will bore.

Along with study playing is also important factor .In my experience when i was teaching to montessori classes there were students who did not came to school and their parents always complained about pressure of studies and they said that there must be playing activities for our children because they do not want to come to school so, from that day we have to decided to arrange some mind freshing activities. When students came to school they started playing and also taking interest in studies.

In conclusion, children should not be completely forbidden from studies by their parents. Students must have time to play so they will not bore but must also have focused on study .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both parts of the prompt: you support a strong focus on foundational learning and explain that play helps children stay happy, refreshed and interested. Your classroom example about parents reporting that children did not want to attend because of study pressure is relevant and gives your view some support. However, the position is not fully consistent: the opening says schools should concentrate more on learning, while the conclusion says children should not be “completely forbidden from studies,” which does not clearly express the intended balance. Several points, such as why early learning matters and how play supports learning, are asserted rather than explained. State your degree of agreement clearly and develop each reason with a specific explanation or example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an opening position, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The classroom experience is placed in a relevant paragraph, and phrases such as “Along with” and “In conclusion” help signal movement between ideas. However, progression is limited because the first two body paragraphs repeat that play makes pupils happy or interested without clearly building separate arguments. Some links are awkward or unclear, including “because when students learn they also get bore” and the shift from the teaching example to “from that day.” Paragraphs would be more effective if each had one clear focus—first the value of formal learning, then the role of play—and if pronouns and linking phrases made the relationships between ideas explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a basic range of vocabulary relevant to schooling, including “foundation learning,” “pupils,” “pressure of studies” and “playing activities.” The personal example also gives you opportunities to use topic-specific language. However, vocabulary is limited and several noticeable word-choice, collocation and spelling errors make parts of the response difficult to interpret. For example, “observe too much on” does not naturally express focusing on learning, while “mind freshing activities” and “get bore” are inaccurate forms. Repetition of “students,” “play” and “studies” also restricts variety. Build a small set of accurate phrases for classroom learning and play, and check spelling and word forms before using less familiar expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a conditional structure in “if there would be toys and other things to play,” and you use time references in the account of your teaching experience. However, the range is limited, and complex sentences are often faulty. Errors in verb forms and agreement occur in examples such as “I am disagree,” “students will happy,” and “they do not want to come to school so… we have to decided.” Articles, plurals and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent, as in “there must be a playing tools” and the run-on spacing around “class.There.” These errors recur and sometimes make the intended meaning harder to follow. Practise accurate present and past forms, modal constructions, and punctuation in longer sentences.

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

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