Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-07-28

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 7.5)

It is often argued that whether the university students should learn additional subjects along with their major or they should only focus on the subjects only related to their field. In my opinion, although students need to give their time and attention to major subjects to perform academically well, it would also be beneficial to learn about other subjects which can help them in different stages of their lives.

On the one hand, people who believe that higher education students should prioritize the main stream subjects think that the academic score is more important. This is because the learners are often judged by their rank in school or college especially when they have to apply for top universities and jobs. Studying additional subjects may create distraction for them and could result in low score in final exams. This could hinder their chances of securing a high paying job. For example, in many corporate companies, people are hired based on their performances in universities or colleges in their major subjects. Therefore, giving preference to studying for a qualification is a considered important by some individuals. However, focusing only on these would limit the knowledge of students for other things.

On the other hand, students who think that they should give some time to learn about other subjects want to acquire skills that can be useful for them in real world. To expound, subjects such as Moral Science and Ethics will assist them in decision making, when they face ethical and moral dilemmas. This will improve their critical thinking skills, which is an important skill for job market as well. For instance, health professionals and social workers often face the situations where they are required to make challenging decisions, these skills help them to make the right choices. Hence, the importance of additional subjects cannot be overlooked.

To conclude, some individuals believe that for greater career prospects, students should focus on the mandatory subjects. I strongly believe that other subjects should be prioritize equally as they help young students to develop their other skills.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the mention of corporate hiring practices and the role of ethics in social work. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are fully developed; for instance, the discussion on 'Moral Science' is a strong point, but could be expanded further to explain how it specifically balances with the pressure of a major subject. Overall, you have provided a well-balanced and thoughtful response that meets the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To expound', which help guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. To improve, ensure that the transition between sentences is always smooth; for example, in the second paragraph, the sentence 'This could hinder their chances...' flows well, but some other transitions could be more varied to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'career prospects', 'ethical and moral dilemmas', and 'mandatory subjects' show good control. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'main stream subjects' (should be 'mainstream') and 'prioritize' (should be 'prioritized' in the conclusion). While you use some less common vocabulary, there is room to incorporate more sophisticated academic collocations to elevate the tone. The errors present do not impede communication, and your vocabulary is adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'whether the university students should learn... or they should only focus' (the 'whether' clause is incomplete) and 'is a considered important' (a redundant 'a'). Additionally, there are minor subject-verb agreement issues, such as 'other subjects should be prioritize' (should be 'prioritized'). Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the punctuation is generally accurate. To reach a higher band, focus on refining your control over complex sentence structures and proofreading for small grammatical inaccuracies.

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