Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-03
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 5.5)
Primarily, it is largely argued that some people think history should be included in the school subjects whereas others have a thought that subjects like science and technology are more crucial than history.
Some say history is one of the significant school subjects. I think history it is, because history not only connects us to our culture but also tells us about our leaders and ancestors, their lifestyle and the evolution of life. It is necessary to educate today's students about the sacrifices made by people in the past which is possible only through introducing history as a subject. We could see some fascinating incidents happened years ago that shaped the freedom of today's generations. For instance, it is important to know the struggles of our freedom fighters and their sacrifices for the independence of India and how long they fought for this and got independence in 1947.
Another point, for today's growing students is they should have appropriate and deep knowledge in science and technology rather than history as it would be helpful for them to be prepared for forth coming competitions in the market. History definitely tells about the past which seems to be knowledgeable but growing world requires science and technology because their future stands on this not just on history. It also helps get their dream profession like doctor or engineer or any entrepreneur. Use of science and technology has not only improved our lives but also has reduced the amount of work making an easy and simplified living. For example, use of an active detergent and washing machine washes a bucket of clothes in just an hour.
In my opinion, I think students should be educated more on science and technology as important subjects and introducing history as an minor subject so that they will get an idea on it.
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
The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. The arguments for history (cultural connection, understanding ancestors) and science/technology (career preparation, efficiency) are relevant. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The example regarding the Indian independence movement is specific, but the example of a 'washing machine' to support the importance of science is rather trivial and lacks the academic weight expected for this task. While the position is clear, the conclusion could have better synthesised the two views rather than simply suggesting history be a 'minor' subject. Overall, the task is addressed, but the depth of argumentation could be improved to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a basic progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the transition 'Another point' is a bit simplistic. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'I think history it is', which contains a redundant pronoun. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the flow between sentences could be smoother to achieve a more sophisticated level of cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey their meaning clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'evolution', 'independence', and 'entrepreneur'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'growing students' and 'forth coming competitions'. The word choice is functional but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, the student should focus on more natural collocations and a wider variety of academic vocabulary to express complex ideas more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'history it is', 'incidents happened years ago' (should be 'that happened'), and 'as an minor subject'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor slips throughout. The student demonstrates an ability to construct complex sentences, but the control over these structures is inconsistent, leading to errors that, while not impeding communication, are noticeable. Increased attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage would improve the accuracy significantly.
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