Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-17

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)

In contemporary society, residing in a country where a person have to speak an international language can induce serious social challenges and practical difficulties. From my perspective, I strongly agree with the stance due to its growing influence on different areas of life and society. This essay will explain why this position is justified with some reasons and multiple examples.

One of the main reasons upholding my viewpoint is that learning a second language could be demanding for many individuals who decide to live in a foreign country. In other words, comprehending a foreign language requires time and dedication to be fluent at a specific language. For instance, numerous individuals pursue their higher studies from Germany where they confront daily language barriers in dealing with their lecturers and peers. Consequently, creating distressed circumstances for many people due to lack of understanding and inadequate familiarity regarding an international language.

Another compelling reason for my view is that the individuals can face isolation because of not obtaining an enough level of a foreign language such as A2, B2, and C2. For example, if a person who moves to France from Mexico can confront various obstacles owing to his weak awareness of French which results in some serious health concerns such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Subsequently, making a daunting situation for people to participate in outdoor activities and at their workplaces.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that living in a country where a person must have to speak a local language can prompt both the social and practical bottlenecks. Therefore, everyone must acquire intermediate level of foreign language certificate to deal with such difficult repercussions.

AI examiner evaluation

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-language environment. You maintain a clear position throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention 'higher studies in Germany' and 'moving to France', these examples are brief and could be further extended to fully explore the depth of the social and practical challenges. The conclusion introduces a new suggestion (language certificates) that was not previously discussed, which is slightly off-topic as it does not directly address the 'problems' mentioned in the prompt. To reach a higher band, ensure your supporting points are more thoroughly explained and directly linked to the core arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In other words', 'For instance', and 'Consequently' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. For example, the phrase 'Another compelling reason for my view is that' is a standard template that could be varied. Additionally, the referencing in the second paragraph is slightly unclear; the sentence starting with 'Consequently' is a fragment and lacks a clear subject, which disrupts the flow of the argument. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each sentence is grammatically complete will enhance the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'contemporary society', 'induce', and 'repercussions'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural collocation or word choice, such as 'creating distressed circumstances' and 'obtaining an enough level'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise usage. You attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is positive, but you should focus on ensuring these words fit naturally within the context of your sentences. Expanding your repertoire of academic collocations will help you move into the higher band range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'a person have to speak' should be 'a person has to speak', and 'the individuals can face' should simply be 'individuals can face'. There are also issues with sentence fragments, such as 'Consequently, creating distressed circumstances...', which lacks a main verb. While you show an attempt at complex structures, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from being consistently accurate. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and predicate will significantly improve your score.

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

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