Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-18
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)
Some residents consider that history is one of the significant school subjects, while opponents believe that in this contemporary society, subjects such as science and technology are more essential than History. In this essay, I will discuss the importance of both subjects and give my opinion.
History is a subject that mainly teaches us about evolution and how our ancestors lived on Earth. We know that our society has advanced, but we can't ignore the significance of the history subject. It teaches us about our lifestyles and rules in the technology field. As we know, all the advancements in our society are primary attached with Einstein, Newton, and many scientific laws. For instance, humans went to the moon mainly due to Einstein's laws of physics; all the progress in astrophysics is due to Einstein's laws.
On the other hand, we can't depend only on history at present, but we know that in this society, technology and science subjects are far more essential for students than history subjects. We know that mankind is in danger due to climate change, so due to advancements in technology and the science field, we can tackle climate change by suggesting and making alternatives to it. Due to progress in these fields, we can produce new medicines for various diseases caused by climate change and prevent the extinction of homo sapiens. Such as, Elon Musk's SpaceX company is trying to make colonies of humans on Mars because we know that, due to climate change, one day Earth will become uninhabitable, and various scientists work on more effective medicines for treating current diseases.
In my opinion, I respect views on both subjects, but currently, I prefer that technology and science are the most important school subjects. With the progress of these fields, we can save mankind from destruction, and now the history subject is not as important to us as technology and science.
In conclusion, I mentioned both perspectives of the people, and I agree that technology and science are more important currently than history subjects.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The paragraph on history is confusing, as it attempts to link history to scientific laws like those of Einstein and Newton, which is a misunderstanding of the subject's purpose. The argument for science and technology is more coherent, though it relies heavily on a single example (SpaceX). To improve, ensure that the arguments for each side are distinct and logically sound. The position is consistent throughout, but the depth of analysis could be improved by focusing on the societal value of history (e.g., learning from past mistakes) rather than conflating it with scientific discovery.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the other hand' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Such as, Elon Musk's SpaceX company,' which is grammatically incorrect and disrupts the flow. The progression of ideas within paragraphs is generally logical, but the connection between the historical examples and the broader argument is weak, making the overall structure feel slightly disjointed in the second paragraph.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'contemporary society,' 'astrophysics,' and 'uninhabitable.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'primary attached with' instead of 'primarily associated with' and 'history subject' instead of 'the study of history.' The range is sufficient to communicate, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.
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 'Some residents consider' (should be 'Some people'), 'the history subject' (article usage), and 'Such as, Elon Musk's...' (fragmented sentence). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction that occur throughout the text. The writer demonstrates an ability to use complex structures, but these are not always error-free, which limits the score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.