Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-07

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 7.0)

Nowadays, many students at university are keen to broaden their horizons and learn about various subjects in conjunction with their main subject whilst others argue they should prioritise their time and effort into studying for a main subject and thus obtaining a qualification.

Within this piece of text, I endeavour to decipher both these points of view while giving my opinion.

Firstly, I believe it is beneficial to learn about more than main subjects as it allows students more flexibility to consider other options than just their main subjects.

Not only does this allow them to explore other options, it provides an opportunity to enhance their knowledge about other areas that they may find more interesting than their main subject. Making decisions about a future career when you are a student can be difficult and we as humans can often change our mind, thus I believe it is best to afford students the opportunity to explore their options and potentially change their mind. Enabling students to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects provides development opportunities and also a safety net in case they want to change their mind about their future career.

Moreover, whilst I think it is useful for students to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects, I do believe it is somewhat vital they try to study for a qualification. The main reason I believe this is because obtaining a qualification from university will most likely enhance their opportunities to find employment when they finish their studies. Despite this, in my opinion, students can still obtain a qualification by focusing on more than just their main subject at university.

Lastly, I can see why people believe it is essential that students focus on a main subject to obtain a qualification. However, I believe the benefits of wanting to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subject outweighs the negatives and thus I would endorse the view that students want to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subject.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the 'safety net' argument for studying multiple subjects and the employment benefits of a qualification. However, the development is somewhat repetitive; the argument that students can study multiple subjects while still obtaining a qualification is mentioned in the second and third paragraphs without significant expansion. To reach a higher band, the student should provide more specific examples or deeper analysis of how universities might structure such programs to balance these two goals, rather than restating the same points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Lastly' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the progression of ideas is slightly mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. For instance, the phrase 'in addition to their main subjects' is used frequently, which makes the flow feel a bit predictable. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the central topic of each paragraph is clear, but the internal cohesion could be improved by using a wider variety of linking phrases and better referencing to avoid redundant phrasing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. The student uses some academic collocations like 'broaden their horizons', 'prioritise their time', and 'development opportunities'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a noticeable reliance on repetitive phrasing, particularly the phrase 'in addition to their main subjects', which appears multiple times. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim for more variety in their lexical choices and demonstrate a more sophisticated control of synonyms and topic-specific vocabulary to avoid the repetitive nature of the current text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and the meaning is always clear. The student uses complex structures, such as 'whilst others argue they should prioritise...', which are generally accurate. However, there are minor issues with punctuation and wordiness, such as the slightly awkward phrasing in the introduction: 'prioritise their time and effort into studying'. While there are no major errors that impede communication, the range of complex structures is not yet broad or flexible enough to consistently demonstrate the 'wide range' required for higher bands.

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.