Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-20
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)
In today's world, some people believe that living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems, as well as practical problems. I partially agree with this view because this may lead to the problems like conflict with local people due to miscommunication and facing difficulty in communicating with individuals at several places but at the same time it encourages an individual to learn a new language and explore the culture and lifestyle of that nation.
Firstly, living in a country where you have to speak a foriegn language can create conflict with local people due to miscommunication. This is because a new person may not know the culture and language tones of that country and may hurt the local people. For example, if an american person lives in India uses a word that might seem to be unappropriate in the nation, the citizens of India may get angry on them and may even lead to a fight. As a result, living in this kind of country may create a conflict with the local people. Secondly, an individual may face difficulty in communicating with the local ones. If an Indian person lives in Germany, they may face difficulty in communicating with local people due to the requirement of German language. For instance, if an individual does not know German language tries to order food in a German restaurant, they might not spell the name of the food or may face difficulty in explaining to a waiter.
On the other hand, there are certain benefits of this trend. This view may encourage individuals to learn a new language. If a person who is willing to learn different languages, may be benefited from this method. If individuals have knowledge of different languages, they may be more likely to get a top position job in a reputed company. Additionally, living in a country where you have to speak their local language may allow individuals to explore the culture and lifestyle of that country. This is because living in a new country and speaking a new language may excite a person to explore their culture and allow them to live a kind of lifestyle the citizens of that nation live.
In conclusion, I partially agree that living in a country where individuals have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social and practical problems because it may create a conflict with the local ones and may face difficulty in communicating with the citizens of that nation. However, this view may encourage a person to learn a new language and may excite them to explore the culture of a nation. I agree with this view to a great extent but at the same time individuals should also consider the benefits of it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position that acknowledges both the problems and the benefits of living in a foreign-language country. The main ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as potential miscommunication in restaurants or social interactions, as well as the personal growth and career advantages of language learning. However, some arguments tend to over-generalise, such as the example regarding an American in India, and the conclusion slightly contradicts itself by stating the student agrees 'to a great extent' after previously stating they 'partially agree'. Overall, the response meets the criteria for Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is coherent overall with a clear logical arrangement divided into appropriate paragraphs. The student uses standard cohesive devices to guide the reader through the text, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and cohesion are at times mechanical or slightly repetitive, particularly in the concluding paragraph where transitions feel slightly forced. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to achieve a higher band score. This performance fits comfortably into Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'miscommunication', 'reputed company', and 'explore the culture and lifestyle'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('foriegn', 'unappropriate') and occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'angry on them' instead of 'angry with them'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the lexical score from reaching the higher band levels. The vocabulary is minimally sufficient for Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with the student attempting conditional and relative clauses. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, such as 'living in this kind of country may create a conflict', 'does not know German language tries to order', and missing articles. Despite these frequent minor errors in grammar and punctuation, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the train of thought easily. This corresponds to the Band 6.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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