Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-08

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 5.5)

Some university students want additional subject in thier core curriculum and some other believe they should focus on main subject in order to pass their degree. A highly controversial issue in todays society. In this essay, i am going to discuss both side of this issue and examine both views.

There are people who argue that having extra subject in their study is benefits for them in social and ecnomical aspect, Considerably outweigh its disadvtanges.THe main reason for believing this is that students who are doing extra study in their university time will be more successful in future. It is possible to say that extra subject will help them in long term.

On the other hand, others believe that students should pay more focus on main subject rather than additional subjects. It is often argue that who are week in studies should pay more focus on main subjects. People often have this opinion because, some students paying more attention on other types of activities. So, they could not complete their qualification. A particularly good example is a medical or engineering student must spend long hours in laboratories, clinics, or technical coursework. Distracting themselves with unrelated subjects can lead to academic overload or missed details in critical licensing exams.You become an expert in your chosen discipline quickly and meet strict industry standards.

In conclusion, I believe both arguments have thier merits. On balance, however, I feel extra subjects should be added in students syllabus. That is because it has own benefits in students life

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a preference for including additional subjects, so the response is relevant to the question. The example of medical and engineering students gives the argument for focusing on a qualification some concrete support. However, the two positions are not developed evenly: the benefits of extra subjects are asserted in phrases such as “more successful in future” and “help them in long term,” without explaining what skills or opportunities they provide. Your conclusion says both views have merit but gives only a brief reason for your preference. Develop each view with a specific explanation or example, and make your position clearer and more consistently supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help signal the direction of the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear. The first body paragraph moves from a general claim to a prediction about future success without showing the connection, while the second combines students who are weak academically, distractions, professional examples, and industry standards. Some linking is also awkward or incomplete, as in “A highly controversial issue in todays society.” Organise each paragraph around one main point, then explain and illustrate it in sequence; ensure the conclusion follows directly from the reasons discussed.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some topic-relevant vocabulary, including “qualification,” “academic overload,” “licensing exams,” and “industry standards,” which helps communicate the subject matter. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “On balance.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, including “extra subject in their study,” “pay more focus,” and “benefits in students life.” Spelling errors such as “thier,” “ecnonomical,” and “disadvtanges” also reduce accuracy and can distract the reader. Build a more precise set of phrases for discussing breadth of study and academic demands, and proofread spelling and word forms before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “students who are doing extra study” and a conditional-style example about professional courses. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. For example, “A highly controversial issue in todays society” is a sentence fragment, while “It is often argue that who are week in studies” has problems with verb form and clause structure. There are also errors in agreement and sentence construction, as in “extra subject will help them in long term” and “That is because it has own benefits.” Practise complete sentence formation, subject–verb agreement, articles, and clear clause patterns, then check punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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