Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-08
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 6.0)
It is often argued that students should devote all their attention and time to studying for their main qualification, while the opposing opinion argues that they could learn subjects in addition to their main studies. This essay will explore both perspectives and explain why I maintain that it would be better for students if they could study not only necessary subjects.
On the one hand, there are many specialities which require students to give their entire attention and spend all time to learning their main subjects, such as medicine, engineering, sciences, and others. For these fields it is essential to improve professional skills and knowledge without dividing time and efforts to unnecessary subjects as it is a quite difficult task to combine such complicated professions with another areas. For instance, students in universities of medicine forced to study all day without rest, because their classes are taking place from morning to evening with a huge amount of home work. Therefore, they just do not have any time for their hobby and another subject.
On the other hand, in modern universities it is a quite widespread practise when students could choose one or several additional subjects, which they want to learn. This approach helps students broaden their horizons and allows them to seek themselves in another fields during their studies. In addition, this opportunity can be beneficial when learners still have not found their vocation. As an example, I realised that I want to study humanities while I have studied in musical college and conducted scientific research in linguistics as an leisure.
In conclusion, although both views have their valid arguments and examples, I believe that additional subjects can benefit in many cases, particularly during looking for vocation.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
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, though some arguments could be more thoroughly extended. For instance, the discussion on medical students is a good example, but the explanation of why additional subjects are beneficial could be more nuanced beyond just 'broadening horizons'. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, ensure that the supporting examples are more detailed and that the link between the examples and the main argument is explicitly stated to avoid minor over-generalizations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'In addition', and 'Therefore' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother in places. For example, 'another areas' and 'another subject' are used where 'other' would be more appropriate, which slightly affects the flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for clear communication. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, such as 'vocation', 'devote', and 'widespread practise'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'seek themselves in another fields' (should be 'find themselves in other fields') and 'as an leisure' (should be 'as a leisure activity'). These errors do not impede communication but indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and collocations to reach a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles and pluralization, such as 'in universities of medicine' (should be 'in medical universities') and 'during looking for vocation' (should be 'while looking for a vocation'). Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage also show occasional slips, such as 'classes are taking place' (should be 'take place'). The majority of sentences are understandable, but the frequency of these minor errors prevents a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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