Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-19

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 6.0)

Living in a country without knowing the native tongue and having to speak a foreign language is a serious issue. In my opinion, it is important to know the native language of a country before moving there.

As someone with the experience of living in a country for three years without knowing the native tongue and having to manage with a foreign language, I can personally vouch for learning the local language before moving to a foreign country.

I have lived in Malaysia for three years while I was doing my undergraduate studies, and I didn't know Bahasa Malaysia. So, I had to face a lot of struggles initially. For example, whenever I had to communicate with someone who didn't understand English well, I had to keep using Google Translate to depict myself. Especially when I had to buy groceries or shop from street vendors, I had difficulty conveying my concerns or queries. There have been instances where they tried to con me when they realized I am foreigner and couldn't read the price tags without using a translator app.

While using grab or pulic transport, I had to depend on the english signs to locate myself. Due to this, whenever I traveled out of Kuala Lumpur I had problems finding anything as in some rural areas there isn't any english road signs for me to follow.

In addition to these, I have encountered with people who used to get aggresive if they learned that I am unable to speak their language. One incident that I specifically remember was when a grab driver was very rude as he couldn't understand me and thought I was not willing to pay as I was asking for digital payment option in English. There were also instances of miscommunication with people mostly working blue collar jobs as most of them did not understand a word English.

On the other hand, life was easier for my accquaintances who knew the language. They could easily communicate and convey their feelings to everyone so nobody to scam them or be violent towards them. They could get any work done faster and in an efficient way. It was easier for them to find a job there too after graduation as foreigners who knew the local tongue were prioritized.

Therefore, I strongly suggest eveyerone to learn the native language before shifting anywhere. Because it makes life easier and fun no matter where they are in the world.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in favor of learning the local language. The ideas are relevant and supported by personal anecdotes from your time in Malaysia. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of ideas is more balanced; while the personal examples are effective, the essay could benefit from a slightly broader discussion of the 'social' and 'practical' problems mentioned in the prompt, rather than focusing almost exclusively on your own experience. The conclusion is clear and reinforces your main argument effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of your experience, such as daily struggles, communication barriers, and the benefits of knowing the language. You use some cohesive devices like 'In addition to these' and 'On the other hand' to link ideas. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words would help the essay read more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'undergraduate studies', 'miscommunication', and 'blue collar jobs'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'depict myself' (which should be 'express myself') and 'shifting' (which is better as 'relocating'). There are also a few spelling errors like 'pulic', 'aggresive', 'accquaintances', and 'eveyerone'. Focusing on precision and proofreading for spelling will help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'I have encountered with people' (should be 'I have encountered people'), 'there isn't any english road signs' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'I am foreigner' (missing article). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but some sentences are slightly clunky. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as these errors occur throughout the text.

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