Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-10
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)
Nowadays knowledge is the most important aspect in life. Some people believe that overall information is important. Other argued that only course study is crucial. In this essay i will discuss both views and give my opinion.
Many individuals want to learn about history, Politics, Geography and many other subjects. Which is not possible in one course study. General study is crucial for everday life of a student. For Example, You are a math learner and as well as participate in societies political affairs.Overall all learning is the habit of leaders. Focusing on multipal subjects give you a chance to participate in all kind of exams not only univerity tests.
On the other hand focusing on one major is benificial for a students who want to achieve high grades in their degrees. Insted of using your energy in learning which is not advantageous for future success is a wastage of time and energy. For example, A person with law background do not need to know about chemistry. It save your time and give you a better score in your degree.
In my opinion i stongly believe that overall learning is a better idea. Human life based on knowledge and experiences of all kind. for Example, I am a political science student but i also learn about history. Which helps me give give my arguments which historical perspectives.
In conclusion, I would say that learning about every thing develops your personality and helps you in your future goals like competative exams.From my perspective in future universities will teach multiple subjects in one degree. For example, English with french, Math with statistics etc.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You address both views and state a clear preference for broader learning, especially in “I strongly believe that overall learning is a better idea.” The examples about a law student and your own political science studies are relevant. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the benefits of studying additional subjects are asserted rather than explained in detail, and the argument for focusing on a qualification is mainly about grades and saving time. Some points, such as taking “all kind of exams” and future university course design, are not clearly connected to the central comparison. To strengthen the response, explain how each approach affects students’ knowledge, career preparation, or academic performance, and make your opinion’s reasoning consistent throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, your opinion, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “On the other hand” and “In my opinion” help signal the direction of the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear, and several ideas are placed together without a clear link—for example, the point about political affairs is followed by a broad claim about leaders and then exams. The conclusion introduces a prediction about universities that has not been developed earlier. Some linking is also mechanical or incomplete, and sentence fragments such as “Which is not possible in one course study” interrupt the flow. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each example directly to the claim it supports.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use vocabulary relevant to education and the topic, including “qualification,” “degree,” “historical perspectives,” and “political science.” This gives you enough language to communicate the main ideas. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, which sometimes makes meaning less clear. For instance, “overall information” and “overall learning” are vague, while “one course study” and “all kind of exams” are not natural expressions. Spelling errors such as “multipal,” “univerity,” and “competative” are also noticeable. Aim for more precise topic vocabulary and check spelling carefully; for example, distinguish “general education” from “specialist study” and use natural phrases such as “a range of subjects.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including examples and clauses beginning with “who” and “which.” However, the range is limited, and complex structures are often faulty. Errors in agreement and sentence construction appear in “Other argued,” “a students who want,” and “A person with law background do not need.” There are also problems with articles, verb forms, and punctuation, as in “It save your time” and the fragment “Which is not possible in one course study.” Capitalisation and sentence boundaries are inconsistent, and some sentences run together. These errors sometimes make the reader pause, although the main message remains understandable. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and build longer sentences from correctly formed clauses.
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.