Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)
In the competitive world, individuals are highly focused on improving their knowledge by learning new skills. It is believed that some students from higher education institutions want to expand their knowledge by choosing additional subjects. While, others argue that it is more important to give appropriate time to their own academic subjects rather than spend time on addition subjects. In this essay, I will discuss both views and present my opinion.
To begin with, studying additional subjects alongside their core academic subjects can help students to develop a broader range of knowledge and skills.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under-length at only 94 words, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While you introduce the topic and mention the intention to discuss both views, the essay stops abruptly after only one sentence of the first body paragraph. There is no development of the second view, no personal opinion provided, and no conclusion. To improve, you must ensure you fully develop each part of the prompt with supporting arguments and examples, and you must meet the minimum word count to avoid a severe penalty.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The response is too short to demonstrate a coherent structure or effective paragraphing. While the introductory paragraph is logically organized and uses a cohesive device ('To begin with'), the essay ends before any progression of ideas can occur. There is no evidence of how you would link paragraphs or manage transitions between the two opposing views. To achieve a higher score, you need to write a full essay with clear paragraph breaks, logical sequencing of ideas, and a variety of cohesive devices to connect your arguments and examples smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is accurate and appropriate for the context, such as 'competitive world', 'higher education institutions', and 'core academic subjects'. However, the range is limited due to the brevity of the text. There are no attempts at sophisticated or less common lexical items. To improve, you should aim to incorporate a wider range of topic-specific vocabulary and collocations that demonstrate a more flexible command of the language, rather than relying on basic descriptive phrases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The grammar in the provided text is generally accurate, with no major errors in sentence structure or punctuation. You have successfully used a complex sentence structure in the introduction ('While, others argue that...'). However, the limited length makes it impossible to assess your ability to maintain accuracy across a wider range of complex structures. To improve, you should focus on producing a longer, more varied text that includes a mix of simple and complex sentences, ensuring that your control remains consistent throughout the entire essay.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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