Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-25

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)

Few individuals say History is one of the most essential school subjects, while others believe that in today's world, subjects like science and technology are more important than History. Both subjects are important, and we will discuss both points. Choosing the right subject in which you have an interest is very important.

History is one of the most important subjects according to some people. In History, you can get information about the past, how things came to be, and how ideas came about in people's minds. By reading history, people can understand how the world became what it is now and can notice the differences. For instance, if a person has an interest in developing computers, he will look at the history and see how the idea came to mind and how it can be upgraded. If a student learns history and gains knowledge about the past, he can do many things.

Subjects like Science and technology are more important. The world is progressing very fast right now, and if we do not believe in science and technology, then we will remain behind the world. Technology and science play an important role in people's lives right now. For instance, AI is one of the most modern technologies. We can solve problems easily with AI. Modern science and technology produce various things that help a lot in human life. If a student takes an interest in science and technology, then he can meet the world standard.

In my opinion, both have reasonable arguments, but I believe science and technology are more important subjects right now. If students do not take an interest in science, then they will not be able to achieve anything more. For instance, if a student does not learn about science and technology, then he will waste a lot of time. We can solve our problems with AI in a very short time.

To conclude, both arguments have some merits, but I believe science and technology are the most important subjects in school due to modern technology.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on whether history or science and technology are more important school subjects, and provides a clear personal opinion in favor of science and technology. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as mentioning how understanding history helps in computer development and how artificial intelligence solves problems efficiently. However, some ideas feel slightly repetitive, particularly in the conclusion and final body paragraphs where the argument about science and technology is reiterated without significantly expanding the depth of analysis. This places the response comfortably at Band 6.5 to 7.0 for addressing all parts with a clear position, though further development would push it higher.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a clear overall structure with an introduction, distinct body paragraphs for each viewpoint, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. However, the progression and use of cohesive devices can be somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., beginning multiple sentences with 'For instance' or 'If a student...'). Referencing is generally clear, but transitional phrases linking paragraphs together are somewhat basic, which prevents the essay from achieving a higher band. Overall, the logical organization is coherent enough to earn a solid Band 6.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'progressing very fast,' 'modern technologies,' and 'essential school subjects.' There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, but word choices can occasionally be repetitive or basic (e.g., repeating 'important' and 'things' frequently throughout the text). Minor word-choice limitations appear, but they do not impede communication. The lexical range aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor, demonstrating enough flexibility to convey the intended meaning despite a lack of more sophisticated phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures like 'if we do not believe in science and technology, then we will remain behind.' While there are grammatical errors—such as article omission or slight awkwardness in phrasing (e.g., 'Few individuals say History' instead of 'Some individuals say that history')—these errors rarely impede communication. Complex structures are attempted with varying degrees of success, and the frequency of error-free sentences places this writing securely within the Band 6 range for grammatical control.

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.