Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-05

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 6.0)

Residing in a state where you have to communicate in a second language can result in severe social as well as practical difficulties. A foreign language helps us to learn a lot about an unknown country, like its culture, architecture, fashion, and food; it gives us a sense of belonging. In this essay, I will discuss the importance of knowing the native language of a foreign country before concluding with my opinion.

A foreign language in a new territory plays a significant role for newcomers. A language barrier can cause inefficient language proficiency, because of which that person cannot access essential services, and it also causes miscommunication. They cannot pay their medical bills, their complete paperwork is not done, and they cannot roam around easily as they are facing a linguistic barrier. For example, if a Japanese immigrant has to go to the doctor, they cannot explain their medical symptoms.

Language proficiency causes social isolation as foreigners are unaware of the native language and cannot communicate with native speakers. Even if they know it, they are not confident in themselves and are completely dependent on others. Living in a foreign homeland without knowing its native language will always give you a sense of social exclusion and unbelonging. Foreigners cannot merge with them and are unable to build healthy social relationships. They can misinterpret native jokes and idiomatic expressions, which can result in conflicts between natives and foreigners. Foreigners would not be able to get emotional support and will face social loneliness. For educational purposes, children may be able to solve the questions and comprehend the books but would not understand the language of their teacher and their classmates. For instance, a Chinese immigrant in the UK may be able to solve a mathematical problem but would not comprehend what their teacher is saying in English.

In my perspective, foreigners can easily learn the language by enrolling in a native language course and by communicating with the natives using prepositions and verbs. It would be better if they learned the language beforehand, but if not, they should enroll in the course as soon as possible, and learning the foreign language would be a piece of cake for them.

In conclusion, while both points are valid, I would say it is better to learn the language beforehand. This way, they would be able to enjoy all the opportunities easily and can communicate with the natives by breaking the barriers of language.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both social and practical problems. The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are generally well-supported with examples, such as the medical scenario and the educational context. However, the essay could be improved by further developing the 'practical' aspect beyond just medical and administrative issues. The introduction is slightly contradictory, as it initially suggests that foreign languages help us learn about culture, which seems to undermine the premise of the prompt regarding the 'serious problems' caused by language barriers. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but the development of arguments could be more focused on the specific challenges mentioned in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For example', 'In my perspective', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition from the discussion of social isolation to the educational example is somewhat abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, though the use of pronouns like 'they' and 'them' occasionally lacks a precise antecedent, which slightly affects the clarity of the argument. Overall, the structure is coherent and follows a standard essay format.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, with some attempts at less common items like 'linguistic barrier', 'social exclusion', and 'misinterpret'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, the phrase 'inefficient language proficiency' is not standard; 'limited language proficiency' would be more appropriate. Similarly, 'roam around easily' is a bit informal for an academic essay. The use of the idiom 'a piece of cake' is inappropriate for the formal register required in an IELTS Task 2 response. The range is adequate but lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a good attempt at using complex sentences, such as 'Even if they know it, they are not confident in themselves and are completely dependent on others.' However, there are persistent errors in grammar and punctuation. For instance, 'their complete paperwork is not done' is slightly awkward, and there are minor issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control of grammar is generally good, but more attention to sentence variety and error reduction is needed.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.