Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-06
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems, as well as practical problems.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
living in a country where people speak another language can be really challenging and causes a lot of social problem. duo to the fact that it is a country where people need to speak another language to get what they need it can be really difficult to communicate with people and have a normal life. not only it is tough to find friends and communicate but it is also hard to find a good job especially if the language is completely new to the person.
on one hand, many people does not have any issue with living in a country where they have to speak a foreign language to get they work done. some languages can be easy and simple to learn for many people such as english which is so common for individuals to learn it. speaking another language other then your mother language can have beneficial effect for mental health cause it helps people to constantly using their brain and challenge themselves.
on the other hand, there are some people who believe that speaking a foreign language can cause many problem and it can make simple tasks so difficult. communicating with people is hard in general for some people specially for introvert people, so it is fair that it is still challenging for them to it in a foreign language and it can be even more tough if they just immigrate.
all in all, some individuals assume that speaking a foreign language is simple and they can do their work and communicate easily, in contrast there are some other people who assume that it is really tough and they can not interact with the people around them in a foreign language, in my opinion i think it depends on the person and their life styles and their personality to choose the best for themselves
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both social and practical challenges. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you present a position, the arguments remain quite general and lack specific examples or detailed explanations. For instance, you mention 'social problems' and 'difficult to communicate' but do not elaborate on how these manifest in real-world scenarios. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph provides a clear, extended argument supported by concrete evidence or logical reasoning. The conclusion is also quite brief and does not fully synthesize the points made in the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'on one hand' and 'on the other hand' are used, but the internal flow between sentences is often disjointed. For example, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, such as the use of 'it' in 'it can be even more tough if they just immigrate', where the antecedent is ambiguous. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas would enhance the coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic, repetitive terms like 'really challenging', 'difficult', and 'hard'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'get they work done' (should be 'get their work done') and 'beneficial effect for mental health' (should be 'beneficial effects on mental health'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and idiomatic expressions relevant to the topic of language acquisition and social integration.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('many people does not have'), missing articles, and incorrect preposition usage ('to it in a foreign language'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and a lack of capitalization at the start of sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be a significant step forward.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.