Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-03

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)

Primary schools classrooms are the first step for a child to start their academic learning. This academic learning forms the base of how a student will perform in both thier academic journey and also their personal life. Playing or taking part in sports activites holds the same siginificance as academic learning for a child. In my opinion, playing is very necessary for a child because it allows them to do what they want to do and what they find enjoyment in.

At the start of an child's education, the yet need to learn many things about thier social life and also academic life. This education allows them to understanding reasons, helps them mature and also helps them find what they enjoy. But as much as this academic learning is mandatory, playing and allowing a person to have a free mind also holds great significance. Playing and letting the child having a free mind allows to them to be happy, make friends, learn things outside the classroom as well and also having a free mind which allows them to use and derive their imagination.

Children donot learn everything inside the classroom. Somethings can only be picked up by habits or experience. Playing helps them achieve such habits and also helps them build the passion of things they might experience. Academic learning alone cannot teach such things because a person can only be unqiue when they teach themselves.

In my opinion, playing and learning both hold great siginificance in primary school classrooms and both teachers and students should try to achieve a balance in both of these things. This will also decrease burdens on students and make them more imaginative for the things they want to experience.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall view that play and formal learning are both important, and you address the question of classroom balance. The points about play helping children make friends, develop imagination and learn through experience are relevant. However, the response does not fully explain how much you agree that primary schools focus too heavily on formal learning: this concern is implied rather than directly discussed. Several claims, such as “a person can only be unique when they teach themselves,” are broad and are not supported with a specific example or explanation. To develop the response further, state your degree of agreement explicitly and explain how a classroom activity or personal example shows the benefits of combining play with academic instruction.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two paragraphs developing the value of play, and a concluding statement. Ideas generally follow a sensible order, and linking expressions such as “But,” “also” and “In my opinion” help signal relationships. However, the two middle paragraphs overlap in their discussion of what children learn through play, so the progression is not always clear. Repeated use of “also” and “and” makes some sentences feel like lists, particularly the sentence beginning “Playing and letting the child having a free mind.” Some references, such as “such habits” and “these things,” are also vague. Give each body paragraph a distinct focus and use clearer links between the claim, explanation and example.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “academic learning,” “social life,” “imagination” and “balance,” and the reader can generally understand your main ideas. There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “derive their imagination,” though this collocation is not natural. Repetition of “playing,” “learning” and “free mind” limits the range, while spelling errors such as “thier,” “activites,” “siginificance” and “unqiue” are noticeable. Some phrases are imprecise, including “build the passion of things” and “what they want to do.” Aim for more natural topic-specific wording and check spelling carefully; for example, describe play as developing interests, social skills or creativity rather than relying on repeated general terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including clauses joined with “because” and “which,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. Examples include “At the start of an child’s education, the yet need to learn,” “allows them to understanding,” and “allows to them to be happy.” There are also problems with articles, agreement and verb forms, as in “the child having a free mind” and “both hold great significance … and both teachers and students should try.” Practise building accurate sentences with one main clause and a clearly formed subordinate clause, then check articles, pronouns and verb patterns.

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