Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-04

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)

Living in a different country where i have to speak a foreign language can cause several problems including social and practical. I strongly agree with this statement because without talking the countries language it will be difficult to cope with certain situations.

On the one hand, living in a different country can be useful for some facilities as it provides but without speaking the countries language can bring several serious problems every day. It is important to speak the language for daily conversation and communicating with local people for social life. However, without knowing the language can press the social issue. For example, in Bangladesh, many people have no idea about other language but after going to a different country they had to face some great problems. As a result, they try to learn the language in home but they feel fear when they go outside.

On the other hand, without talking the countries language can also be a primary issue in practical works and tasks. In every day life people had to do lots of work in institutions or other sectors, however if they try to solve their tasks without the language it may become a big problem. So it is vital to know a foreign language before moving to a different country. For example, in India, many people migrated to this country for work and they do their practical work by english as it is an international language. Thus, they can improvise their feelings widely and they are living their life without any major issue.

From my perspective, I believe that it is important to speak a foreign language and the alternative choice is to speak in english as it is the international language and it is popular in the world. So speaking a different language is essential in a different country because it will cope their not only social problems but also practical issues.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you strongly agree that speaking a foreign language can create social and practical difficulties. You address both areas, using examples about migrants in Bangladesh and India, and the response stays relevant to the question. However, the discussion is only partially developed. The Bangladesh example says people feel afraid outside, but does not explain the specific social consequences, while the India example is difficult to follow and does not clearly show how language affects practical tasks. The conclusion repeats the importance of language rather than drawing together the reasons. To strengthen the response, explain concrete effects—such as difficulty accessing healthcare, employment services, or forming friendships—and make each example directly support your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs organised around social and practical problems, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “From my perspective” helps readers identify these sections. However, progression within paragraphs is uneven: the first body paragraph moves from daily communication to Bangladesh without clearly connecting the example to a specific social problem, and the India example does not clearly follow the point about practical tasks. Linking phrases such as “However,” “As a result,” and “Thus” are sometimes used mechanically or do not express a clear relationship. Build each paragraph around one main claim, then explain and illustrate it in a logical sequence, using references that make the connection between sentences explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “social life,” “communicating with local people,” “institutions,” and “practical issues,” so the reader can generally understand the subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear. For example, “useful for some facilities as it provides” does not convey a clear meaning, “press the social issue” is not a natural expression, and “improvise their feelings widely” does not fit the intended idea. Repetition of “different country,” “language,” and “problem” also limits flexibility. Aim for precise phrases such as “access public services,” “face social isolation,” and “express themselves confidently,” and check that each chosen expression matches the meaning you intend.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “because,” “however,” and “if.” This shows an effort to vary sentence structure, but control is inconsistent, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to interpret. Examples include “without knowing the language can press the social issue,” which lacks a clear grammatical subject, and “it will cope their not only social problems,” where the verb pattern and pronoun structure are faulty. There are also errors in articles, agreement, and verb forms, as in “the countries language” and “people had to do lots of work.” Practise building accurate subject–verb sentences first, then add subordinate clauses; proofread for articles, possessives, and consistent tense.

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