Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-10
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 an individual need to speak a foreign language can lead to a social problem and some practical problem. I partially agree that foreign language is one of the biggest barrier to the people who are not familier with the langugage. This discussion will highlight some relevant ideas and lead to a thoughtful conclusion.
The most concerning and the challenging part, which has now become a trend is to leaving their local country and settling into a foreign country to get a better lifestyle. Many people tends to forget that learning the local language is very essential to survive in that country. A study was conducted a few years back in Germany reveals that many individuals were not even able to ask the address to the local as they did not have exposure to the German language. In conclusion, surviving in a foreign country where an individual need to speak in a foreign language can cause some practical problems.
On the contrary, there is a strong reason to believe that language is just a medium of communication and if a person does not have exposure to that it is completely acceptable. A research which was conducted in the France which states that, many people visited the cities like Paris and Marseille even if they did not have exposure to the French language. Overall, language is just a mode of communication it can never be the barrier between the humans.
In conclusion, if an individual wish to settle down the the foreign country he or she need to learn the local language to evade the chance of social and practicle problem.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both social and practical problems, but the development is inconsistent. While you present a position, the arguments are somewhat superficial. For example, the mention of a study in Germany is vague and lacks sufficient detail to fully support your point. The counter-argument in the third paragraph is relevant but contradicts your initial stance, leading to a lack of clarity regarding your final position. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph provides a clear, well-developed argument that directly supports your thesis statement throughout the essay.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive feature. However, the logical progression of ideas is hindered by the contradictory nature of the arguments. The use of cohesive devices is present but often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'In conclusion' to start paragraphs, which is inappropriate for the second paragraph. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the idea of language as a barrier and language as a mere medium of communication is abrupt. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring a consistent flow of thought would significantly improve your score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'local country' instead of 'home country' or 'evade the chance of... problem' instead of 'avoid'. You rely on basic vocabulary and repeat terms like 'exposure' and 'language' frequently. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms and idiomatic expressions, and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations to ensure your writing sounds more natural and precise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
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 (e.g., 'an individual need', 'many people tends') and article usage (e.g., 'in the France'). There are also errors in preposition usage and sentence construction, such as 'a study was conducted a few years back in Germany reveals'. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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