Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-07
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)
Many people debate whether History or subjects like Science and Technology are more valuable in school. While History teaches us about our past, I believe that Science and technology are more useful for the modern world.
On the other hand, History is an important subject because it helps people understand where they come from. By learning History, students can see how societies developed and understand different culture. More importantly, studying past events government can learn about different mistakes and avoid repeating the same mistake again., such as economic crisis or war.
On the other hand, Science and Technology are essential for solving today's major challenges. Problems like global warming, diseases, and energy shortage problems. Furthermore, the modern job market demands skills in area like computer programming and medicine.
Teaching these subject prepares young people for good jobs and help country grow economically.
In my opinion, History is also very important subject because it tells us about our past and we can learn for ours past mistakes, but Subjects like Science and Technology are more important in every field of life. Without the knowledge of these we can not survive in today's world.
In conclusion, although History helps us appreciate the past. Technical progress without an understanding of history risks repeating ethical and social mistakes. History builds the critical thinking required to guide technology responsibly. Science and Technology are more crucial today. They provide practical tools to solve problems and make our life easy. It helps to create a better future.
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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the arguments for History and Science are relevant, they are presented in a list-like fashion rather than being fully extended with concrete examples. For instance, the mention of 'economic crisis or war' is a good starting point but lacks specific detail. The conclusion introduces a nuanced perspective about 'ethical and social mistakes' that was not fully explored in the body paragraphs, which makes the argument feel slightly disjointed. To reach a higher band, ensure that each main point is supported by a specific, well-explained example rather than just stating general benefits.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For example, the transition 'On the other hand' is used to introduce both the second and third paragraphs, which is confusing since the second paragraph discusses the first view and the third discusses the second view. Additionally, some sentences are fragmented, such as 'Problems like global warming, diseases, and energy shortage problems,' which lacks a main verb and disrupts the flow. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'economic crisis', 'global warming', and 'critical thinking'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'help country grow' (should be 'help countries grow') and 'learn for ours past mistakes' (should be 'learn from our past mistakes'). To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing, such as the frequent use of 'important' and 'subjects'.
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 that occasionally impede the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('government can learn', 'help country grow'), missing articles ('understand different culture'), and punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary comma and period after 'mistake again.'. The sentence 'Problems like global warming, diseases, and energy shortage problems' is a sentence fragment. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to demonstrate better control over complex structures and proofread carefully to eliminate basic errors in articles and pluralization.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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