Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-03

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 6.0)

Moving to a country where people speak a different language to you can cause serious difficulties in both daily life and in relationships. I largely agree that it can be particularly difficult for a newcomer to settle in, because these barriers can isolate them socially and make every day tasks harder.

If a person decides to move to a country where he doesn't speak the local language then he can be isolated socially. This is because it becomes extremely difficult to make new social bonds or attain relationships when you are unable to effectively communicate. Most small talks that happen in a bar or in the mall are done in native language which a foreigner may miss out on. This makes it difficult for them to socially navigate a new country and make new friends.

There are also practical issues that can arise if people don't speak the native language. Menial tasks like filling a doctor's appointment form or a rent contract becomes time consuming and complicated. This is because such forms are often in the native language like in Germany and France. These practical difficulties therefore, can waste a lot of time. Some of these issues can be addressed by attempting to assimilate yourself in the country by trying to learn the language.

Living somewhere where you cant speak the native language can cause a host of practical and social issues which can lead to isolation and confusion. I agree that this is a huge problem for people who live abroad and don't speak the foreign language

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: you “largely agree” that language barriers create social and practical difficulties. You address both parts of the statement, explaining how limited communication can hinder friendships and how unfamiliar forms can complicate everyday tasks. The examples of small talk and medical or rental paperwork are relevant, and you briefly acknowledge a possible response by learning the language. However, the social point is developed more fully than the practical one: the paperwork example is asserted rather than illustrated with a specific consequence or experience. The conclusion mainly repeats your position. To strengthen the response, extend each main idea with a concrete example and explain more fully how language barriers lead to serious problems.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for social and practical problems, and a concluding statement. Topic sentences such as “There are also practical issues” make the direction of each paragraph easy to follow, and linking phrases including “This is because” and “therefore” show relationships between ideas. At times, however, cohesion is somewhat mechanical, with repeated explanatory patterns and repeated references to “native language” and “practical difficulties.” The final paragraph largely restates the introduction rather than bringing the two strands together or adding a final implication. Some references, such as “these barriers,” could be made more precise. Use a wider range of transitions and develop a clearer progression from each claim to its example and consequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss the topic, including “isolated socially,” “communicate,” “assimilate,” and “time consuming.” These choices make your main points understandable, and you attempt some less common expressions such as “socially navigate.” However, several word choices or collocations are imprecise: “attain relationships” is not natural in this context, and “filling a doctor's appointment form” does not clearly describe the task. “Menial tasks” also suggests low-status work rather than routine everyday activities. There is some repetition of “difficult,” “issues,” and “language.” Aim for more precise collocations and vary repeated terms; for example, describe “building relationships,” “completing medical forms,” and “routine administrative tasks.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional clauses (“If a person decides…”) and cause-and-effect structures (“This is because…”). Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and the overall argument remains easy to follow. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. For example, “tasks … becomes” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “filling a doctor's appointment form or a rent contract” needs a more consistent grammatical construction. The sentence beginning “This is because such forms…” is awkwardly attached to the preceding point, and “therefore” is punctuated incorrectly in “These practical difficulties therefore, can…”. There is also a missing apostrophe in “cant.” Review agreement, parallel structure, and punctuation around linking adverbs, while continuing to use varied sentence patterns.

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