Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say History is one of the most important school subjects. Other people think that in today’s world subjects like Science and technology are more important than History.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example form your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.0)

There have been an argument that history is an essential school subject. While other individuals think that science and technology as subjects are more crucial than history in the present day. In my opinion I support the latter view because Science gives life skills that are of importance in solving day-to-day problems. Similarly due to the growth of technology in various sectors technological skills play a vital role for living.

To begin with Science and technology subjects are vital in an individual's life. This is because most of the challenges one face in everyday living requires scientific solutions most of which are taught in schools. For example the first aid skills taught practically in science subject assists when one has a patient who requires first hand assistance before being taken to the hospital. On the other hand, one can use technology to search for quick procedures to assist the patient.

Turning to history as a subject it is significant because it helps stude

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion4.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You state a clear preference for science and technology, explaining that science can provide practical skills for everyday problems and technology can help people find procedures quickly. The first-aid example is relevant and gives some support to this view. However, the response only begins to discuss the opposing view: “history … is significant because it helps stude” is unfinished, so the benefits of studying history are not explained and the discussion is incomplete. The conclusion and a fuller comparison are also missing. In addition, the response is 87 words below the required minimum, which leaves too little space to develop both sides and support your opinion. Explain how history benefits students, extend your examples, and finish with a clear conclusion that answers the question directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an opening states your position, a paragraph develops science and technology, and “Turning to history” signals a shift to the other view. Linking expressions such as “To begin with” and “On the other hand” help show relationships between ideas. However, the progression is cut short when the final paragraph ends mid-sentence, and there is no conclusion to bring the discussion together. The opening also uses “While” to introduce a fragment rather than a complete contrast, which weakens the connection between the two views. Develop each side in a separate, complete paragraph and use a final paragraph to restate your position. This would make the overall argument easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic-related vocabulary, including “essential,” “crucial,” “day-to-day problems,” “scientific solutions,” and “technological skills.” These choices make your main point understandable and show some ability to use less basic language. There are also several awkward or imprecise expressions, such as “first hand assistance” and “growth of technology in various sectors,” which reduce naturalness. “An individual’s life” and “living” are repeated in a general way, and the unfinished final sentence prevents you from showing a broader range for the history discussion. Aim for more precise collocations and avoid repeating broad terms; for example, specify the practical or civic skills you mean. Proofread word forms and phrasing so your vocabulary sounds more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a reason clause in “This is because…” and a relative clause in “the challenges one face…”. Most of the intended meaning can be understood, but errors occur in sentence construction and agreement. The opening “There have been an argument” has incorrect agreement, while “While other individuals think…” is a dependent clause presented as a sentence. In “the challenges one face,” the verb does not agree with its subject, and “the first aid skills … assists” also has a subject–verb agreement problem. Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly around the long sentence about everyday challenges. Practise forming complete contrast sentences and checking each subject against its verb. More accurate control of these patterns would make your ideas clearer.

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