Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-29

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 7.5)

Living in a new country where the language is not native to a person can cause serious problems in both social and practical aspects.

I genuinely agree with this statement because it is really tough for a person who was born and brought up in one country and then moves to another. The challenges begin immediately and affect nearly every part of daily life.

From a practical perspective, the lack of language skills creates significant obstacles. Simple tasks like shopping for groceries, asking for directions, or using public transport become stressful experiences. More importantly, handling official matters such as signing a rental agreement, opening a bank account, or explaining symptoms to a doctor can lead to serious misunderstandings. Furthermore, in the workplace, a language barrier often forces qualified professionals to accept low-paying jobs that do not match their skills, causing financial hardship and frustration.

The social consequences are equally serious. Language is essential for building friendships and connecting with others. Without it, newcomers often feel isolated and lonely. They struggle to express their personality, understand jokes, or participate in conversations, which can make social gatherings uncomfortable. Over time, this fear of making mistakes may cause them to avoid social situations altogether, leading to deep loneliness and even mental health issues.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that the practical and social problems caused by living in a foreign-language environment are indeed serious. While these challenges may reduce as language skills improve, the initial impact on a person's daily life and emotional well-being is profound and cannot be ignored.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have taken a clear position from the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed, with distinct paragraphs focusing on practical and social challenges respectively. You provide relevant examples, such as 'signing a rental agreement' and 'understanding jokes', which effectively support your arguments. The conclusion provides a clear summary of your stance. To reach a higher band, you could aim to provide even more nuanced analysis, perhaps by briefly acknowledging the counter-argument that language barriers can also foster resilience or community-building among immigrants, before refuting it.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the practical and social aspects is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'From a practical perspective', 'More importantly', and 'Furthermore'. The referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task. The flow of the argument is natural and easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, which demonstrates a high level of control over the structure of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the academic context. Phrases like 'significant obstacles', 'financial hardship', and 'emotional well-being' show a good command of collocation. You use precise language to describe the challenges faced by immigrants. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, it is generally standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range, such as 'linguistic barriers', 'social integration', or 'profoundly debilitating'. However, the current range is sufficient and used with precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your grammar is generally accurate, and there are many error-free sentences throughout the text. You handle complex structures, such as 'While these challenges may reduce as language skills improve, the initial impact... is profound', with confidence. Punctuation is used correctly to aid readability. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To reach the highest band, you could aim for even greater variety in sentence length and complexity, ensuring that every sentence contributes to a sophisticated flow.

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