Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-09
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 different country where we have to speak a different language other than our own could have negative implications on our daily life. To some extent I believe this is a correct statement as we depend on others in our day-to-day life.
Living in a different country with different language is difficult due to our social interactions. This is mainly because we have to interact with other people to get by with our life. For example, generally when a person is in different country a difficulty could arise if one gets sick and that person does not know the native language, then it would be difficult for that man to let the doctor know exactly what's wrong with him.
On the other end, times have changed since the development of technology, communicating with other language speakers is now easy comparatively to those who were living in the 19th century. This is mainly because development in the language translation apps in our phones, we can easily communicate with others with help of our phones. For instance, if a person residing in a non native country, he or she can go to any coffee shop and order coffee with help of translation app.
In conclusion, to some extent I believe this statement depending on the condition a person is facing, if that person is in critical condition where he has no access to mobile phone then he may face difficulties but if he has access to mobile phone then may be able to communicate more easily.
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
You give a qualified position—“To some extent I believe this is a correct statement”—and address both the difficulties of communicating in everyday situations and the help offered by translation apps. The illness-and-doctor example is relevant and illustrates a serious practical problem, while the coffee-shop example supports your counterpoint. However, the discussion is limited: the social problems in the prompt are not explored beyond the difficulty of interacting, and the practical examples are not developed into a fuller explanation of their effects. Your conclusion repeats the conditional position rather than drawing together the main reasons. Develop both sides more fully and explain how language barriers can affect relationships, access to services, or independence.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs presenting contrasting points, and a conclusion. Paragraphs generally have a clear central focus, and signposts such as “For example,” “On the other end,” and “In conclusion” help the reader follow the argument. However, progression is somewhat mechanical, and the relationship between ideas is not always expressed smoothly. The second body paragraph shifts quickly from technology to a coffee-shop example, without explaining whether translation apps solve only routine problems or also more serious ones. The conclusion largely repeats the introduction and earlier examples. Use clearer links between claims and explanations, and make the final paragraph synthesise your position rather than restating it.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including topic-related expressions such as “social interactions,” “native language,” “translation apps,” and “critical condition.” Some repetition and imprecise collocations limit the range and naturalness of the writing. For example, “different language other than our own” is cumbersome, “get by with our life” is not a natural expression, and “development in the language translation apps” is awkwardly formed. “On the other end” is also an unsuitable phrase for introducing a contrasting point. These choices do not prevent understanding, but they make parts of the response less fluent. Aim for more precise, natural combinations and vary repeated references to “different country” and “person.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a conditional example beginning “if one gets sick” and a contrast introduced by “but if he has access.” The overall meaning is usually clear, but errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms occur often enough to limit control. For instance, “Living in a different country with different language is difficult” needs an article before “different language,” while “if that person is in critical condition” also needs an article. The long sentence beginning “This is mainly because development…” is not well connected to the preceding clause, and the final sentence omits a subject in “then may be able to communicate.” Review articles, clause boundaries, and complete sentence structures, while continuing to practise varied sentence forms.
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