Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-15

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)

Nowadays, Universities have different standards of teaching. Some universities prefer to have various subjects in the degree whereas others have fixed number of subjects related to the degree.

Some university students wants to gain knowledge about other subjects in addition to their main subjects whereas other students strongly oppose this matter of discussion as they believe it is better to give all their attention towards studying for a qualification. I personally agree with the students who want to focus on their qualification. The main reasoning behind this is if they study various different subjects then it would be harder to focus towards the main subjects and that would lead to bad result in the finals. Student’s focus would scattered around different subjects and they won’t be able to give time to their discipline subjects.

The other major reason behind this is that if students have more subjects then they would automatically have more lectures to attend and more homework and assignments to complete which would mean that their valuable time would not go towards the major disciplinary subjects that could hurt their final grades. Being a student is all about being able to manage your time effectively and efficiently. So, that students can give enough to their education and also perform other activities and tasks. Introduction of more subjects means that they would have to reduce time from their personal lives in order to study these subjects which could have a bad impact on their social lives or on their mental health because of the increased stress and pressure. For instance when i was in 10th grade i had multiple subjects like music classes which i had no interest in attending. It was a time wasting class for me as I could’ve given that time to math problems as maths was my weak subject.

I strongly believe that students should give all their attention towards their major subjects and should not be distracted by studying other not so important subjects.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive. The argument focuses heavily on the negative impact of extra subjects on grades and mental health, but it lacks depth regarding the potential benefits of a broader education, which is required to fully discuss 'both these views'. The example provided about 10th-grade music classes is relevant but slightly informal. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that the opposing view is explored with as much analytical depth as your own position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'The main reasoning behind this is...', 'The other major reason behind this is...'). Referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the main arguments, and the conclusion, which helps the reader follow your line of reasoning.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'bad result', 'not so important', and 'time wasting'. While the meaning is always clear, there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated lexical items. Collocations are generally accurate, but there is a lack of academic tone. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to education and time management to demonstrate a wider range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but errors are frequent enough to be noticeable. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('Some university students wants', 'Student’s focus would scattered') and punctuation errors (missing commas after introductory phrases). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur consistently throughout the text. To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over complex structures and ensure that basic grammatical rules, such as pluralization and verb tense consistency, are applied accurately.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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