Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-19
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 people say History is one of the most important school subjects while other people think that in today's world subjects like Science and technology are more important than History. I will discuss both views of this topic before reaching a concrete conclusion.
To commence with, in schools a variety of subjects are taught such as Math, English, Hindi and other subjects that will improve student's knowledge and increase their vocabulary. One of the main reason for studying history in schools is that will learn about their past's culture, societies and previously build laws. Reading about the lives and struggles of people from different eras. For instance, St George’s School in the UK will teach students history as a main subject because this helps students understand their country's past as well as major events around the world.
On the other hand, science plays a vital in shaping society. Some are interested in science to take as a main subject in School along other subjects. In today's world, the demands of doctors are increased due to a rising diseases around the world. For example, scientific research Scientific research helps develop medicines, vaccines, medical equipment and treatments. Modern technology allows doctors to diagnose disease more accurately. Technology related fields suc as software development, engineering and biotechnology are rapidly increasing. Students with scientific and technical skills can find careers in many industries.
However, science helps society deal with challenges such as climate change, pollution, food shortages and renewable energy.
To sum up, bothe subjects have their own advantage of studying but I think that science and technology have a more direct impact on modern life.
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 in the conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The paragraph on history is underdeveloped, relying on a fragmented sentence structure ('Reading about the lives and struggles of people from different eras.') which lacks a main verb. While the science paragraph is more detailed, the argument could be strengthened by more cohesive links between the importance of the subjects and their long-term societal impact. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments for history are less convincing than those for science, leading to a slight imbalance in the discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'On the other hand', and 'To sum up', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but there are instances where the flow is interrupted by grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment in the first body paragraph. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints, which helps the reader follow the argument, but the internal cohesion within the history paragraph needs more attention to ensure sentences connect smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'biotechnology', 'diagnose', and 'renewable energy'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'previously build laws' (likely meaning 'established laws') and 'rising diseases' (should be 'rising rates of disease'). The range is sufficient to convey the message, but the lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary prevents a higher score. Spelling is generally accurate, though there is a minor error with 'bothe'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'One of the main reason' (should be 'reasons'), 'science plays a vital in shaping' (missing a noun like 'role'), and 'demands of doctors are increased' (should be 'demand for doctors has increased'). There is also a sentence fragment in the first body paragraph. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors suggests that the student has not yet mastered complex structures, keeping the score in the 5.5 to 6.0 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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