Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-13

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)

It is often argued that history is one of the most important subjects in school, whereas others believe that scientific subjects hold more value than history. While both perspectives have some merit, I believe that science subjects are more important to learn because students will grow critical thinking mindset and problem solving skill.

On the one hand, those who support the idea that history is important argue that it is compulsory for students to know about their origin. This is mainly because studying history broaden horizon of knowledge. As a result, they will grow curiosity over their culture. For example, students of history usually become part of cultural events and promote their culture. As a result, people will remember their unique aspect of tradition. Therefore, it is understandable why some people believe that studying history is crucial. However, I don't think that people should learn history only for this reason.

On the other hand, proponents of studying science and technology claim that students will learn to think critically. The primary reason is that studying science encourage them to study about fundamental theories as well conduct practical lab work. A good example of this is students who study science at school, become curious to explore new things, which demonstrates that they analyze every new things by logically reasoning them.

I personally believe that studying science and technology related subject is more important than studying history. Although history helps to broaden their knowledge, I would argue that it has no practical use in real life. This is because history requires only rote-learning skill, and therefore they can't solve real world problem.

In conclusion, although learning history has certain advantages, studying science is, in my opinion, more convincing because it helps to acquire problem solving skill and critical thinking ability. Therefore, I believe that studying science related subject is more beneficial than learning history.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that history is a vital subject and that science and technology are more important—and clearly states the writer's own opinion in favour of science. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported, such as when the writer explains how science encourages practical lab work and fundamental theories. However, some arguments lack full depth, such as the claim that history has 'no practical use in real life', which is somewhat over-generalised. Overall, the requirements of Task Achievement are met well, aligning closely with the Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptors. Because the ideas are relevant and well-supported, a score of 6.5 is awarded.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay has a clear overall progression and logical organisation. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs discussing each view in turn, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, there are instances of repetitive cohesive markers, particularly the frequent use of 'As a result' and 'This is because', which makes the cohesion somewhat mechanical in places. Referencing is generally clear, but the logical flow between sentences occasionally feels repetitive. These features place the response solidly within the Band 6 range.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common lexical items such as 'critical thinking mindset', 'fundamental theories', and 'rote-learning skill'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies throughout the text, such as 'grow critical thinking mindset' instead of 'develop a critical thinking mindset', 'broaden horizon of knowledge' missing an article, and 'study about fundamental theories'. Spelling and word formation are generally fine, but errors in collocation prevent the lexical range from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas clearly, matching the Band 6 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'although', 'while', and 'because'. There are, however, frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding article usage, singular/plural agreement, and verb forms. Examples include 'science encourage them' (instead of 'encourages'), 'conduct practical lab work' (missing an article or pluralisation), 'analyze every new things' (plurality agreement error with 'every'), and 'solve real world problem' (singular instead of plural). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from achieving a Band 7. The control of grammar is consistent with Band 6.

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