Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-06

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)

In recent decades, students are learning different subjects and topics for getting a better job. For this purpose, many students are now learning some emerging technologies along with their university studies. However, some people argue that this can divert out focus from our main subjects of the selected degree which can impact the final result. Therefore, I have both views to discus for these reasons.

Initially, many university students are now learning other subjects of the most demanding things like Artificial Intelligence due to more job opportunities in this field. AI is also beneficial for many daily life tasks and research work. Students are now frequently learning it along with their degree program in part time as a second choice. For example, in many developed countries, students often learn new skills by exploring some other subjects apart from their main subjects to gain knowledge and for part time jobs.

Secondly, some students believe that learning any other skills or subject can consume our time and energy and it can easily divert our focus from the main degree's subjects which can badly impact our result. For instance, in underdeveloped countries, students are still studying old and irrelevant subjects in this time of modern technology where AI skills are being widely learning by all age groups but they are afraid to learn any other skill just because of the advises from their friends or seniors.

In conclusion, I believe that both view are correct but the learning a new subject or skill can be beneficial for students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, though the development is somewhat superficial. The introduction is clear, but the body paragraphs rely on repetitive examples regarding Artificial Intelligence rather than exploring the broader implications of interdisciplinary study. The conclusion is very brief and lacks a summary of the main points. To improve, you should aim to extend your arguments with more varied examples and ensure your position is more clearly integrated throughout the essay rather than just stated in the final sentence. The ideas are relevant, but they lack the depth required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure. However, the use of linking words is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect ideas more fluidly. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the final paragraph is underdeveloped, which affects the overall balance of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some topic-specific terms like 'emerging technologies' and 'Artificial Intelligence', which is positive. However, there is a reliance on simple vocabulary (e.g., 'learning', 'subjects', 'things'). There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'demanding things' and 'widely learning'. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and collocations to express your ideas with greater precision and variety.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'divert out focus' (our), 'discus' (discuss), 'both view' (views), and 'advises' (advice). Additionally, the phrase 'widely learning by all age groups' is grammatically incorrect. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement, pluralization, and proofreading for basic spelling and word-form errors.

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