Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-07

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some university students want to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects. Others believe it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. Discuss both these views and give your opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.0)

University is the place to explore interests and options. Though not all universities give their students the chance to explore different minors along with their major subject, and some students prefer focusing only on their major, I believe students should have the option to choose other subjects in addition to their main subject.

Some might argue that it's too late to discover new interests when you are an university student. But I do not agree with them. I think university is the place where the student should be given the opportunities to discover their interests at an advanced level. It's not necessary that every student has a clear vision of what they want to do in the future. They still have the time to explore other areas to find what they love the most. Furthermore, a students' interest might span across multiple subjects. If I just mention my example, I am very passionate about robotics, and I have been involved in robotics since I was in high school. Now I study Computer science and I love my major, but i'm also hoping to open a business in the future. So I want to take business and economic courses along with my computer sciece courses.

Some people, however, have different perspective than mine. They believe that minors might distract a student from their major courses. For them, having good grades is more important than discovering their passions. Adding minors means adding extra course pressure which might harm their grades. I understand this. University results are very important, especially if someone wants to pursue higher studies. But still I think the advantages of having the option to take extra courses that interests you and will help you in the future outweights the disadvantages.

So, to sum it up, I belive students should have the option to take minor courses that they think will benefit them in the future, or just to explore their interests in other areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and make your position clear: you support students having the option to study additional subjects. Your personal example about studying computer science while hoping to start a business is relevant and helps explain why business courses could be useful. You also acknowledge the opposing concern that extra courses may affect grades, particularly for students planning further study. However, this side is less developed: explain more fully why some students may reasonably prioritise their qualification, perhaps by showing how demanding specialist courses or career requirements make this necessary. Your own case could also be extended by explaining how the additional subjects would complement your main studies. More balanced development would make the response more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction states your view, the body paragraphs present your reasoning and the opposing view, and the conclusion restates your position. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Some people, however,” and “So, to sum it up” help readers follow the progression. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some flexibility in connecting ideas. At times, though, the links feel formulaic, and the relationship between points could be made more precise. For example, the shift from your robotics interest to wanting to open a business would benefit from an explicit explanation of how studying business supports that goal. Use clearer references and vary transitions so the argument flows without relying on signposting phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss education and future plans, including “major subject,” “advanced level,” “course pressure,” and “pursue higher studies.” These choices communicate your ideas, and terms such as “robotics” and “minors” make the examples specific. There are also some inaccurate or awkward choices that limit precision: “an university student” should be “a university student,” while “a students’ interest” and “outweights” show errors in word form or spelling. Phrases such as “different perspective than mine” and “extra course pressure” are understandable but not fully natural in this context. Aim for more precise collocations, such as “a different perspective from mine” and “additional academic workload,” and proofread spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including concession and contrast structures such as “Though not all universities…” and “I understand this. University results are very important… But still…”. Most sentences remain understandable, and errors rarely obscure your meaning. Some grammatical inaccuracies persist, however. For example, “a students’ interest might span” has incorrect agreement and possessive form; “courses that interests you” should use “interest”; and “the student should be given the opportunities” needs more natural article and number choices. The sentence beginning “It's not necessary that…” is also awkwardly constructed. Review subject–verb agreement, articles, and singular/plural forms, then check longer sentences for clear, controlled structure.

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