Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-21

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)

Many students aim to study other subjects along with their major subjects. Other people argue that it is beneficial to focus only on main subject that you are studying. In this essay I will dicuss both views before my own opinion about the choice of subjects.

On one hand, in every field of education competition has increased due to lack of career opportunities. Many students think that they should take other subjects with their main subject to improve their skills that enhace their chances of getting a good job. For instance, during studies many students enroll in freelancing courses to get remote jobs so that they can earn a handsome amount of money to fullfil their educational expenses.

However, taking other subjects along with course work has many drawbacks. Students began to spend much of their time on extra subjects and pay less attention to their main subject. In this way, they get low grades in their exams and sometimes fail in their course that greatly affect their degrees. As the competition is increasing day by day, hence when pupils get involved in other subjects that are not necessary for their main qualification began to lag in class which in turn affects their grades. Moreover, less marks have bad impact when students apply for jobs or further education after completion of their degrees because companies and other institutions consider those students who got good grade throughout their educational career.

In my opinion, students must study other subjects along with their major studies but do not overlook their education and pay more attention to their degree in which they have to pursue their career in future.

In conclusion, university students should learn minor subjects along their major subjects but give more attention and time to their qualifications. I believe that learning extra subjects along with major ehances our skills and adds positively to our resume.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the mention of freelancing to support educational costs. However, the development is slightly repetitive in the second body paragraph, where the argument regarding grades and job prospects is restated several times without adding new depth. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point contributes uniquely to the argument. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points while reiterating the writer's stance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'However', and 'Moreover' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and flow, such as the sentence 'As the competition is increasing day by day, hence when pupils get involved...', which contains redundant conjunctions. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task. The student uses some topic-specific terms like 'qualification', 'career opportunities', and 'freelancing'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices or minor errors, such as 'less marks' (should be 'fewer marks') and 'bad impact' (should be 'negative impact'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding the range of collocations and using more academic synonyms would improve the score in this criterion.

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 frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and verb forms, such as 'Students began to spend' (should be 'begin') and 'that enhace' (spelling error). Additionally, there are issues with sentence construction, such as '...that are not necessary for their main qualification began to lag', which lacks a clear subject for the second verb. These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score.

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

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