Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-03
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)
It is widely believed that studying one's main subjects are more beneficial as compared to adding some minor subjects. I believe both concepts have their own set of pros and cons as studying one's main subjects allows them to get better grip on concepts. On the other hand, subjects other than main course give broader view of the things.
Focusing all the time and energy on the main subjects of the degree allows students to understand it precisely and gives in depth knowledge. As students have undivided focus on main subject, they learn challenging concepts with percision and efficiently. During my bachelors, we were taught combination of courses in first four semesters. While, in my later semesters we learned degree specific subjects and my GPA improved in later semesters.
On the other hand, some elective subjects give better knowledge outside main course. It is beneficial to students as most subjects are inter-linked and to get better understanding of one subject students might need to get insight into other subjects. It can be seen that to understand bioinformatics students need basic knowledge of computers. Moreover, scientific results can't be analyzed without statistics.
In the light of above discussion, the pros of interdisciplinary subjects alongside main courses exceeds the cons. Hence in my opinion
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you address both views and provide a personal opinion, the conclusion is incomplete, cutting off abruptly after 'Hence in my opinion'. The arguments regarding the benefits of main subjects and interdisciplinary learning are relevant but remain underdeveloped due to the lack of length. To reach a higher band, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are fully extended with sufficient supporting evidence and a complete, coherent conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'In the light of above discussion' to link your points. However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and the abrupt ending of the essay disrupts the overall flow and structure. To improve, ensure that your paragraphs are balanced in length and that your concluding paragraph is fully developed to provide a sense of closure to the reader.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'interdisciplinary', 'bioinformatics', and 'undivided focus'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'get better grip on concepts' (should be 'gain a better grasp') and 'percision' (spelling error). The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher band scores. Expanding your repertoire of academic collocations would help elevate your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'While, in my later semesters we learned degree specific subjects...'. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('studying one's main subjects are' should be 'is') and missing articles ('combination of courses' should be 'a combination'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure could be more varied. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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