Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-20

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 this modern phenomenon, it is often argued that living in a foreign nation where everyone has to speak their native language which is the primary cause of serious social and practical issue. I considerably believe that this current trend has more reasons for disagreeing with this opinion but its agreement side cannot be overlooked and it will streamlined in the subsequent paragraphs.

There are fewer reason to support this view. One reason is that having difficulties to communicate with locals. To detail it out, language is very crucial thing in a foreign country and if the person cannot express their thoughts clearly it can be misunderstood by a local or the person feel isolated. Besides this, individual find it very challenging to make new friends. As a result, they can be feel lonely and this can be a serious social problem. Secondly, the language barrier can make the daily task complicated. To elaborate this, meeting with a shop keeper, landlord or a doctor make the situation tough. For instance, if a foreign residents can't understand the medical instruction could have serious consequences.

However, there are stronger reason to oppose this view, the significant is that people can learn the local language. To explain it further, there are range of foreign language classes that teach the language easily. Additionally, knowing basic about language can be also helpful to communicate with locals and gradually become confident in everyday conversations. Moreover, knowing other language also boost the chance of getting well reputed job and good salary.

Furthermore, another reason for disagreement is technology. To put it in other words, modern technology reduce the language barriers by providing range of different translator apps which make the conversation very convenient. Even people can use foreign apps or watching videos through subtitles which also

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the social and practical challenges of living in a foreign country, as well as counter-arguments. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the practical problems are illustrated with examples like medical instructions, the social aspects are less deeply explored. The introduction is slightly confusing, as the phrasing 'everyone has to speak their native language' seems to misinterpret the prompt's focus on the speaker's own foreign language acquisition. The conclusion is missing entirely, which prevents a clear summary of the position. To reach a higher band, ensure all arguments are fully extended and provide a clear, cohesive conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas from the challenges to the counter-arguments. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To detail it out', 'Besides this', and 'However', though some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or non-standard. The referencing is generally clear, but the essay ends abruptly mid-sentence in the final paragraph, which disrupts the overall flow and coherence of the piece. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that paragraphs are fully completed would significantly enhance the structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'language barrier', 'isolated', and 'consequences'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'I considerably believe' instead of 'I strongly believe' and 'it will streamlined' instead of 'it will be streamlined'. Some collocations are also slightly off, such as 'meeting with a shop keeper' instead of 'interacting with a shopkeeper'. Expanding the range of vocabulary and focusing on natural collocations would help move the score higher.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'There are fewer reason' (should be 'reasons'), 'they can be feel lonely' (should be 'they can feel lonely'), and 'if a foreign residents can't' (should be 'if a foreign resident can't'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the incomplete final sentence is a significant error. To improve, the writer should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that complex sentence structures are constructed accurately without unnecessary auxiliary verbs.

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