Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-30

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)

Spending life in a country where a second language is spoken can create critical social issues alongside practical life issues. In my opinion living in a country where language is new to you or language spoken there other than your mother tongue creates issues in social life and also in practical life.

Well for a person living abroad may face different issues in their social life where a different language is spoken. People can have problems making friends because they cannot express themselves in another language as they can in their first language. It can also effect their important decisions like marriage as life partner may not understand them as a native life companion could. For Instance in life there are many phases where one is facing sad times like a sorrow of passing of loved ones or a heartbreak. In this situation one cannot get consoled like he should be because of the difference of language.

A different language not only causes issues in social life but as well as in practical life. Students studying in a second language could not show their 100 percent capabilities in a foreign language as they can do it in their native language. People may face racism in getting jobs For example if a recruiter is hiring someone in an administration job where language does not matter much and he has option of two candidates one a native speaker and other a foreign speaker he will definitely go for the native one. So in conclusion he will have to face problems in practical life.

Whenever a person moves to another country where he or she will have to speak a different language he will face issues in every aspect of life whether it be : as a student, as an employee, as a friend or a life partner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both social and practical problems associated with living in a foreign-language environment. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited; for instance, the point about marriage and heartbreak is a bit anecdotal and could be more analytical. While the practical examples regarding students and job recruitment are relevant, they are somewhat simplistic. To reach a higher band, the arguments need more depth and a more sophisticated exploration of the implications of the language barrier beyond basic personal experiences.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific theme (social vs. practical issues). There is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'In my opinion' and 'For instance' are used, but the transition between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the concluding paragraph is quite brief and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented in the body paragraphs. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. The student uses basic terms like 'sad times' and 'important decisions' which are functional but not sophisticated. There are some collocation issues, such as 'effect their important decisions' (should be 'affect') and 'sorrow of passing of loved ones'. While the meaning is always clear, the lexical range is limited to common, everyday language. To improve, the student should incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to linguistics, social integration, and professional environments.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'life partner may not understand them as a native life companion could' (missing articles) and 'as well as in practical life' (redundant structure). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. While the errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve accuracy.

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