Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-18

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 6.5)

At university level, some elective courses could be learned along with the core subjects. However, this is not an obligation for all students. Some scholars are eager to learn side subjects besides focusing on their mains, while others argue that whole attention should be on the degree qualification. This essay will explore both perspectives. Personally, I believe that accomplishing degree should be the core goal for a university student.

On the one hand, university students who are keenly interested in other subjects while doing their degree courses think that there should be some elective subjects for extra learning. They believe that knowledge about single field - in which they are obtaining degree - is not enough for today's market to get jobs and also they want to utilize their time more efficiently. For instance, if a student is enrolled in a pure subject like Biology, Chemistry, Physics etc he/she should learn about job requirements like inclusion of Artificial Intelligence and Computing that will help in getting better employment.

On the other hand, there are students who mainly focus on acheiving a degree with high grades. They entirely focus on their core subjects, as they believe top scores are required for getting better jobs and they will do so by concentrating on their degree lessons only. For example, a candidate with high grades will be prioritized over other with diverted focus.

In my opinion, the primary focus should be studying the degree courses rather than learning new subjects. While both views are valid, but for employment prospects high score matter a lot.

To sum up, university students need to devoute their time and attention specifically to their degree qualification and try to achieve top grades to get employed fast.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the importance of job prospects, the arguments remain quite general. For instance, the example regarding Biology and Computing is relevant but could be expanded to explain how this specifically impacts the student's workload or academic performance. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are fully extended with more depth. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes your stance, meeting the requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use standard cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To sum up' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the sentence 'While both views are valid, but for employment prospects high score matter a lot' contains a redundant 'but' after 'While', which disrupts the flow. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used with greater precision would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'elective courses', 'qualification', and 'employment prospects'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'accomplishing degree' (should be 'accomplishing a degree') and 'devoute' (spelling error). You also rely on some repetitive phrasing, such as 'getting better jobs' and 'getting better employment'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and synonyms to avoid repetition and demonstrate a more sophisticated control of language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as missing articles ('in single field', 'over other with diverted focus') and subject-verb agreement issues ('high score matter' should be 'high scores matter'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure in the conclusion is slightly awkward. To achieve a higher band, focus on reducing these small errors and increasing the variety of complex sentence structures, such as using more conditional or concessive clauses to demonstrate greater grammatical control.

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.