Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-02

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 6.5)

There was a claim that accommodating in a nation where the mother tongue language cannot be used can pose significant problems in both communicating and working. Personally, this statement is more disagreed with than agreed with because it depends on how people absorb those new cultures.

Initially, staying in a different language environment, specifically in distinct countries, can cause a person to experience culture shock. This shock comes from the fact that it takes a person a long time to speak that language habitually, and the process of achieving it comes with various problems such as misunderstandings or miscommunications, leading to cultural shock, mostly in international students.

However, this problem has come with numerous ways to tackle it, applied by various people. For instance, reading news frequently, actively networking with local people or reading more books to enhance vocabulary and communication skills. Those skills are a strong foundation, rescuing a person from low self-esteem and making them more confident in socialisation. Furthermore, moving to another country is an opportunity to widen personal mindset internationally. Thus, many students recently choose to enrol in overseas curricula like Australia, the USA, or the EU to continue their study journey, and those nations are also known for having a multicultural environment, indicating that living in a country without personal native-spoken language is not a main cause of social or practical problems.

In conclusion, although a foreign living environment can cause a person to feel left out, there are various solutions for them to integrate into that community, and it cannot be a serious problem, as many people out there still choose to leave their countries for a better future, and have become global citizens.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. You acknowledge the potential for social and practical problems but argue that these can be mitigated through personal adaptation. While the ideas are relevant, the development is somewhat superficial. For example, you mention 'culture shock' and 'misunderstandings' but do not provide concrete examples of how these manifest in a 'practical' sense, such as in a workplace or legal setting. The argument that moving to countries like Australia proves it is not a 'main cause' of problems is a bit of a logical leap, as it ignores that many people do indeed struggle significantly. To reach a higher band, ensure your supporting points are more deeply explored.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'However', 'For instance', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader through your argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the sentence 'this problem has come with numerous ways to tackle it', where 'this problem' refers back to the entire concept of culture shock rather than a specific noun. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the challenges to the solutions and finally to your concluding stance.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'habitually', 'socialisation', and 'multicultural environment'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'accommodating in a nation' (which should be 'residing in' or 'living in') and 'mother tongue language' (which is redundant, as 'mother tongue' already implies language). You attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is good, but the precision is occasionally lacking. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but it does not yet show the flexibility or sophisticated control required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'Although a foreign living environment can cause a person to feel left out, there are various solutions...'. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'this statement is more disagreed with than agreed with' (which is awkward phrasing) and 'the process of achieving it comes with various problems' (where 'it' lacks a clear antecedent). Punctuation is generally accurate, and while errors exist, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on refining your sentence structure to avoid awkward passive constructions.

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

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