Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-20
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)
Many of the university students are creative and fascinate to learn extra subjects other than main studies. As well as some want to expertise their skills in other activities. However other think that giving priority to main subject and learn only for qualification is more important. The narrative ahead shall articulate both the views and describe why additional study is also important.
To commencing with the former view, It is important for college student to broader their learning and gain skills in subject other than their main studies. Students who only learn main subject has only knowledge of that. However, in real life a person is good to have basic idea about another subject. Person with broader knowledge of many subjects can be successful with compared to person with narrow knowledge. Expanding knowledge in many fields can be beneficial for students to know about their interest so after studies they can work on that. For Example, it is fact that not all college student work in their main subject. They shift to their interest areas. so Exploring it in university can help them.
On the other hand, more focus on the main study in university can lead to good qualification result. If student give importance to the main subject only cannot get easily distracted by other subject and have more time to study about main subject. Good result in study can open door for work after university. for instance, many companies hire only university students with good result in their main subjects.
In conclusion, It is important for student to give importance to main subject and get good result for further opportunities. However, it is more important for them to expand their knowledge in other fields to identify their interest.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing an opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the argument regarding the benefits of studying extra subjects is repetitive, focusing mainly on 'interest' without exploring broader academic or professional advantages. The opinion is stated in the conclusion but lacks sufficient integration throughout the body paragraphs. To improve, you should provide more specific, concrete examples rather than general statements like 'many companies hire only university students with good result'. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments need more depth and logical extension to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commencing with', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, some of these are used incorrectly or mechanically (e.g., 'To commencing with' should be 'To commence with'). Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences can be choppy. The logical progression is present, but the transitions between ideas could be smoother. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help the essay read more naturally and improve the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choice and incorrect collocations, such as 'fascinate to learn' instead of 'are fascinated by learning' and 'expertise their skills' instead of 'hone their skills'. The range is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, but the lack of less common lexical items and the presence of errors in word formation prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on learning collocations and using more academic vocabulary to express complex ideas more precisely.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('other think', 'student has only knowledge'), incorrect verb forms ('To commencing with'), and missing articles ('in real life a person is good to have'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation indicate a lack of control over complex structures. To improve, focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and ensuring that verb tenses and forms are used consistently throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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