Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-08

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 you have to speak the foreign language of the country can cause some serious and social problems as well as practical problems. Yes i do agree that not being able to speak the foreign language of the country may raise problem for oneself and for the residents of the country.

Firstly, not being able to speak the foreign language of the country your living in can cause basic day to day tasks like buying groceries, placing a order or booking a taxi much more challenging and difficult moreover being able to communicate with the local can be more difficult that's why one should learn how to speak basic words and form sentences in order to avoid social problems.

Furthermore, not knowing the basic cultural norm of the country can cause social dissatisfcation with the local residents different countries have different culture and its important to undertsand their basic norms and culture in order to co-exist. As more and more people travel or live in a foreign country understanding and speaking their language protects you and the residents of the country from unwanted problems and it also helps to traverse through different people and cooperate with the authourities and respect the rules and regulations set by the government of the country in order to avoid problems

In conclusion, being able to speak the basics of the foreign language is much more practical and helpful in order to avoid challenges and difficulty in doing basic tasks and social interactions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by acknowledging both social and practical problems. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention day-to-day tasks like 'buying groceries' and 'booking a taxi', the discussion on social problems remains quite general. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples or elaborate on the consequences of these problems. For instance, you could discuss how language barriers might lead to isolation or misunderstandings in a workplace setting. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments lack depth and could be extended further to fully satisfy the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to link your points. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and some transitions feel a bit repetitive. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'traverse through different people', which is not a standard collocation. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'cultural norm', 'co-exist', and 'social interactions'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor spelling errors, such as 'authourities' and 'dissatisfcation'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to migration, integration, and communication barriers. Avoiding repetitive phrasing will also help demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in punctuation and grammar, such as the missing comma after 'Yes' in the introduction and the run-on sentence structure in the second paragraph. There are also minor errors in article usage and subject-verb agreement, such as 'the foreign language of the country your living in' (should be 'you are'). To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of complex structures with greater accuracy and ensure that your punctuation is used correctly to separate independent clauses.

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

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