Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-16

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)

Nowadays, many people move to foreign countries for education, jobs or a better life. However, they may have to communicate in a foreign language. I agree that this can cause both social and practical problems, especially when people are not able to speak the language well.

First of all, language difficulties can create social problems. People may find it difficult to make friends with local people because they cannot communicate properly. They may also feel nervous or shy when they have to speak with others. As a result, they can spend more time with people from their own country and have less interaction with local communities. For example, a student who moves to another country may find it difficult to join conversations with classmates because of their limited language skills.

There can also be many practical problems. People need language for everyday activities such as shopping, using public transport and visiting a doctor. If they cannot understand important information, they may make mistakes or face difficult situations. In addition, finding a job can be harder because many employers expect workers to communicate with customers and colleagues. Therefore, poor language skills can affect both their personal and professional life.

However, these problems can become smaller if people make an effort to learn the local language. They can attend language classes, practise speaking with local people and use language-learning applications. With regular practice, they can become more confident and communicate more easily.

In conclusion, I agree that living in a country where a foreign language is spoken can cause serious social and practical problems. However, learning the local language can help people overcome many of these difficulties.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by taking a clear, consistent position in agreement with the prompt and discussing both social and practical problems. The ideas are relevant and well supported with appropriate examples, such as the mention of a student struggling to join conversations with classmates and practical difficulties like shopping, using public transport, and finding employment. Furthermore, the inclusion of a counter-argument/solution paragraph adds breadth to the development of the topic. The position is maintained logically throughout the essay, demonstrating a good understanding of the prompt's requirements. Overall, the response meets all the criteria for a Band 7.0 in Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with an introduction that states the writer's position, followed by body paragraphs covering social problems, practical problems, and a balancing perspective on learning the language. Cohesive devices are used effectively and without noticeable mechanical strain, employing standard signposting language such as 'First of all', 'In addition', 'Therefore', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the overall arrangement is coherent and easy to follow. This performance aligns well with the Band 7.0 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task. Words and phrases such as 'communicate properly', 'limited language skills', 'everyday activities', and 'professional life' are used naturally and accurately. There are also attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'interaction', 'overcome', and 'practical problems'. While the lexical range is generally standard and straightforward rather than expansive or sophisticated, the vocabulary is precise enough to convey the intended meaning clearly without any noticeable errors in spelling or word choice. These characteristics correspond securely to a Band 6.5 or solid Band 7.0 lexical performance; a Band 6.5 is awarded here to reflect the safe, somewhat common phrasing used.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively. There is good control over complex structures, particularly in conditional and subordinate clauses, as seen in sentences like 'People may find it difficult to make friends with local people because they cannot communicate properly' and 'If they cannot understand important information, they may make mistakes or face difficult situations.' Grammatical accuracy is generally high, with frequent error-free sentences and correct punctuation. While rare advanced structures are missing, the control of grammar is consistent and errors are virtually absent. This demonstrates the upper end of Band 6.5 or a solid Band 7.0, and is appropriately rated at 7.0 given the reliable handling of complex syntax.

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