Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-04

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)

Residing in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social and practical problems. I agree with this statement.

Language is a medium which allows people to communicate. Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language might be a disadvantage if you come from a field that requires you to communicate with citizens and be fluent. While it is now easier than ever to learn languages online using platforms, every language has some inbuilt notations that one can not familiarise themselves with despite learning. These could be idioms, pronounciations or culture. In most countries of Europe, locals are not fond of people who are not fluent in their language and are ignorant of their needs. For example, my sister who moved to Germany initially was not fluent in the language, whenever she visited local super markets for grocery shopping she encountered racist comments. Another instance she shared was about how one could not keep their wet clothes in the balcony to dry like one could, in India.

However, I do believe that in the digital world things have now become quite easier. People can now translate words and learn about the foreign culture and language through online videos and shared reviews of people who have encountered the same problems. For example, my cousin in France learnt about their no stale food policy while in India through youtube videos.

To recapitulate, while I believe that living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause problems, I also believe that people can get a hang of it in a couple of years of staying there.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

First, it must be noted that the response falls short of the required minimum length, containing only 236 words while 41 words copied from the prompt were correctly excluded from the word count. Regarding task fulfillment, the essay addresses the prompt by discussing both social and practical problems, yet it only does so partially. A position is stated, but the ideas remain limited and under-developed. For instance, the mention of racist comments or cultural differences such as drying clothes on a balcony are introduced as personal anecdotes without sufficient extension or thorough exploration to fully support the argument. To move to a higher level, you should ensure the response meets the minimum word count and fully develops each supporting point with deeper explanations rather than relying on brief examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates some logical organization with a basic introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding sentence starting with 'To recapitulate'. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression throughout the essay. Cohesive devices are sometimes used mechanically or inaccurately, such as the abrupt transition in the third paragraph beginning with 'However', which struggles to meaningfully contrast the preceding ideas. Referencing can also be unclear, making the flow of arguments disjointed at times. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within paragraphs needs strengthening. To achieve a higher band, ensure that every paragraph flows smoothly into the next using a wider range of appropriate and precise transitional markers, and structure your arguments so that they build logically upon one another without abrupt shifts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic message of the essay. There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations that cause some difficulty or distraction for the reader, such as 'keep their wet clothes in the balcony', 'get a hang of it', and spelling issues like 'pronounciations' and 'super markets'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, but inaccurate word choices prevent the language from being precise. To improve lexical resource, you should focus on expanding your vocabulary range, paying close attention to natural collocations, word forms, and correct spelling. Using more sophisticated, precise terms instead of informal phrasing will greatly enhance the overall quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The text displays a limited range of sentence structures, with frequent reliance on simpler patterns. When attempts are made at complex sentences, they are often somewhat faulty, featuring issues such as missing articles, preposition errors inside grammatical patterns, and awkward phrasing like 'one can not familiarise themselves with despite learning'. Frequent errors in grammar and punctuation persist throughout the response and can occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher level, you need to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures while maintaining tight control over basic rules. Pay close attention to subject-verb agreement, article usage, and punctuation to ensure your sentences are constructed accurately.

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

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