Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-12
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)
Some serious issues as well as practical complications can occur if you can't speak the local language where you are living (foreign country). The communication gap can make you feel socially isolated, and daily tasks more stressful to do. In this essay, I will discuss why I partly agree with this.
Living in a foreign land and not speaking it's native language can lead to daily hurdles like job, grocery shopping, making new friends, etc. Which ultimately leads painful experiences. Socially, it creates sad, dull life, as there is a language barrier to make a friend or socialize with others.
Even practically it can cause serious problems like: finding a job, asking for help, and more. It is more preferable if we learn the language and then travel to the respected foreign land instead of directly exploring it, which will give you comparatively better experience and a better chance to experience the locals, make new friends, find more about the culture.
For instance, I went to Spain once, I didn't prepare for Spanish. As soon as I left the airport, in my cab, I tried to talk to the cab driver about the city and It was a total shock to me as he didn't speak English at all. Then, when I reached the hotel, the staff members there also spoke Spanish only, which was quite unexpected. This led to some dispute about the room booking, further it also led to some lunch related issues, I tried to explain them I had allergy which I quite couldn't deliver.
In conclusion, It is preferred to learn to speak the language where you are travelling to, as it will lead to a overall better experience and can also make new friends, learn more about the city.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses the prompt by discussing both social and practical problems associated with living in a foreign country. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention 'job' and 'grocery shopping' as hurdles, these points are not fully explored or supported with detailed analysis. The personal anecdote about Spain is relevant, but it occupies a significant portion of the essay without adding much depth to the broader argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is expanded with more sophisticated reasoning rather than just listing examples.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In this essay', 'Even practically', and 'In conclusion', to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel abrupt. For example, the jump from the general discussion to the personal anecdote in the fourth paragraph lacks a smooth linking phrase. Additionally, the use of referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the phrase 'it's native language' (which should be 'its'). Improving the variety and precision of your cohesive devices would enhance the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, allowing you to communicate your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'language barrier', 'socially isolated', and 'communication gap'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'respected foreign land' (where 'respective' or 'target' would be more appropriate) and 'lunch related issues'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing like 'make new friends' which appears multiple times.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the quality of the writing. Common issues include punctuation errors (e.g., 'For instance, I went to Spain once, I didn't prepare...'), incorrect pronoun usage ('it's' instead of 'its'), and awkward phrasing ('I tried to explain them I had allergy which I quite couldn't deliver'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do indicate a lack of control over more complex grammatical forms. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proper sentence boundary punctuation will help improve your score.
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.