Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-20

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)

It is argued that if we live in a country where we have to speak a foreign language, we might be prone to serious social and practical problems. It is agreed that living in a country where we are not familiar with that country's language can cause social and practical problems. This essay will discuss about how difficult it is for a person to live in a foreign country and how they become prone to serious problems.

It is quite difficult to learn a new language. Even, if we even learn the basics of a new language we might still face difficulties in speaking at that language. It is quite difficult for a foreigner to understand the language of the native people even if they know the language of that country. For instance, Bangladesh has regional dialects which only the native people in that specific region understands.

In our daily life, we need to communicate with a lot of people.However, if we live in a country where we do not understand the language, we will often miscommunicate with others. Besides, we cannot express what we need to other people. We cannot understand what others are speaking if we live in a foreign country. During shopping, renting houses and working we will constantly be in trouble to understand what others are saying.

In conclusion, living in a country with no grasp of the language can bring serious social and practical problems. So, we should try to be familiar with the language of a new country before coming.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you agree that living where you must use an unfamiliar language can create both social and practical difficulties. You address both aspects, mentioning miscommunication and problems with shopping, renting, and working, and the example of regional dialects helps illustrate why even some language knowledge may not be enough. However, the response only partly develops the task. The social consequences are mostly implied through difficulty communicating, while practical problems are listed rather than explained with specific outcomes or examples. The introduction also promises to discuss how people become prone to serious problems, but the body does not fully develop that point. To strengthen the response, explain the effects—for example, how misunderstanding a rental agreement could lead to financial or housing difficulties—and support each main idea.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The ideas generally relate to the topic, and linking expressions such as “For instance,” “However,” and “Besides” help signal examples and contrasts. However, progression within the body paragraphs is limited: several sentences repeat that a person may not understand or express themselves, rather than building distinct points. The connection between the dialect example and the wider social and practical problems could also be made more explicit. Some transitions feel mechanical, and the opening repeats the same position in consecutive sentences. Organise the body around separate consequences, use clear topic sentences, and make each example show how the stated problem affects daily life.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “foreign language,” “miscommunicate,” “regional dialects,” and “renting houses.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, particularly repeated references to “difficult” and “problems.” Some collocations are awkward, such as “speak at that language” and “express what we need to other people,” which may make the reader pause. “No grasp of the language” is understandable, but the essay could use more precise terms for the consequences, such as “language barrier,” “social isolation,” or “misunderstand instructions.” Aim to vary key vocabulary and check whether verbs naturally combine with their objects and prepositions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including conditional forms such as “if we live in a country where we do not understand the language” and a concessive structure beginning “even if.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to affect fluency. Examples include “Even, if we even learn,” where the punctuation and repeated word disrupt the sentence, and “the native people … understands,” where the verb does not agree with its subject. Other problems include “discuss about how,” “speaking at that language,” and missing spacing after the full stop in “people.However.” Review subject–verb agreement, sentence punctuation, and the grammatical patterns of verbs such as “discuss.” Building accurate complex sentences before adding more variety will improve control.

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