Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-21
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 believe that History is one of the most important subjects in school, while other people think that Science and Technology are more important in the modern world. This essay will discuss both views before giving my opinion.
On the one hand, the subject of history is very useful for students to know about histories, cultures, and traditions. It also tells about the mistakes our ancestors made in the past. It gives knowledge to the upcoming generation who will develop the nation. For example, if a person knows history, they will make their own name, culture, and tradition in public. As a result, it helps them become responsible.
On the other hand, Science and Technology play an important role in this modern world where every person uses advanced technology coming from science. Most of our society depends on modern technologies like mobile phones, laptops, refrigerators, generators, x-rays, medicines, and transportation. These subjects provide students with practical skills that can help them find better jobs in the future. These advanced technologies make life easier. The demand for people with science and technology skills is also increasing. In my opinion, both subjects are valuable, but Science and Technology are slightly more important because they prepare students for the challenges of the modern world. However, History should not be ignored, as it teaches valuable lessons and helps people understand their identity and society.
In conclusion, although History plays an important role in teaching people about the past, I believe Science and Technology are more important today because they contribute directly to future development and career opportunities.
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 all parts of the task by discussing both views—the importance of History versus Science and Technology—and clearly states a personal position in the third paragraph. Ideas are relevant, with the student noting how history helps preserve culture and how science provides practical job skills. However, some ideas are a bit underdeveloped or repetitive. For instance, the argument that 'if a person knows history, they will make their own name, culture, and tradition in public' is slightly unclear and lacks logical extension. Despite these minor limitations, the prompt's requirements are fully covered, leading to a solid performance that fits well within the Band 6 descriptor criteria.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph structure, featuring an introduction, separate body paragraphs for each view, a personal opinion, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, some logical progression is slightly mechanical, and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the pronoun use in 'if a person knows history, they will make their own name'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, but the flow between sentences within the history paragraph could be smoother to achieve a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'upcoming generation', 'advanced technology', and 'career opportunities'. However, there are noticeable limitations and occasional awkward word choices, such as 'know about histories, cultures, and traditions' (where 'history' is pluralised unnecessarily) and 'make their own name... in public'. Spelling is generally accurate, but vocabulary choice often relies on common, repetitive terms like 'important' and 'subjects' rather than precise academic synonyms, placing the response firmly at Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The student successfully employs conditional structures ('if a person knows history, they will make...') and relative clauses. There are some minor grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'other people think that in today's world subjects like Science and technology are more important than History', but these errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear throughout. Punctuation is generally correct, and the mix of structures demonstrates sufficient control for a Band 6 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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