Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-04
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)
Living in a country where people speak foreign language can create both social and practical difficulties. while I agree that language barriers may cause serious problems I believe that these challenges can usually be overcome with time effort and modern technology.
firstly, not being able to speak the local language can lead to social problems. people may find it difficult to communicate with their neighbours, make friends or participate in social activities consequently they may feel isolated and lonely. for example, an international student who struggle to interact with local people of that country because he cannot speak the local language this can make it harder for them to become part of the local community.
secondly language barriers can cause practical problems in daily life. foreign residents may have difficulty visiting doctors' documents, or finding employment in some situation misunderstanding can have serious consequences, especially when dealing with medical or legal matters there for limited language skill can make everyday life stressful and complicated.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 164 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the essay lacks a conclusion and the arguments remain underdeveloped. While you address the prompt by discussing both social and practical problems, the lack of depth and the absence of a concluding summary prevent a higher score. To improve, you must expand on your points with more detailed examples and ensure you provide a clear, well-structured conclusion that restates your position. The current length is insufficient to demonstrate the ability to develop a full academic argument.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a basic attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'firstly', 'secondly', and 'consequently'. However, the flow is often mechanical, and the lack of a conclusion makes the overall structure feel incomplete. Some sentences are run-on or lack proper punctuation, which disrupts the logical progression of ideas. For instance, the transition between the example and the main point in the second paragraph is abrupt. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence followed by well-connected supporting details.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You use terms like 'social problems', 'practical problems', and 'difficulties' multiple times. There is little evidence of less common or idiomatic vocabulary that would demonstrate a higher level of proficiency. Additionally, there are minor errors in word choice, such as 'visiting doctors' documents', which is unclear. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and synonyms to avoid repetition and enhance the sophistication of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'an international student who struggle'), missing articles, and punctuation errors, such as the lack of capitalization at the start of sentences and missing commas. These errors occasionally impede the flow of reading. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that sentences are properly punctuated. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will also help raise your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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