Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Many university students prefer to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects. But many people believe that it is more focusing to studying for a qualification. This eassy will discuss both view. I belive that to learn other subjects can be beneficial.
On the one hand, focusing on the main subjects is very important because university course is very large and hard. Also the assigement and books complete before the deadline. If they most of time to read and explore the other book so they have not to time to conclude the college work. The result is get a poor progress in main subjects. For example, Engineering student spent more hour histroy
book may have less time to practice mathematics and other technical subjects.
On the other hand, learning about other subject which help to gain knowledge and useful skills. In present time require many type of skill which help to future plans. For instance, an engineering students they should learn in free time to finance, communication skills, business and programming language may have more opportunity after graduation. In addition study other subjects improve our creativity and soft skills.
In my opinion, people should primary focus on the main subject. But they should also spent time to learn other subjects. A balance approach is more beneficial for academic results while development of soft skills useful for career groth.
In conclusion, main focus on the academic performance after to learn to. a new skills and other subject which help to future development
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the importance of focusing on main subjects is clear, but the explanation lacks depth and relies on simple examples. The second body paragraph attempts to explain the benefits of learning other subjects, but the expression is often fragmented, making the logic harder to follow. To improve, you should aim to expand on your points with more detailed explanations and more sophisticated examples to fully meet the requirements for a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the internal cohesion within paragraphs is often weak. Many sentences are connected in a mechanical way, and there is a lack of variety in linking words. Furthermore, some transitions between ideas are abrupt, such as in the final paragraph, which makes the overall flow feel slightly disjointed. Improving the use of referencing and varied conjunctions would enhance the logical progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'hard', 'good', and 'useful', and there are several instances of incorrect word forms, such as 'more focusing' instead of 'more focused' and 'career groth' (spelling error). While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'academic performance' and 'technical subjects', the overall range is limited. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that word forms are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'university course is'), missing articles, and incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'they have not to time'). Some sentences are poorly constructed, such as 'If they most of time to read... so they have not to time to conclude'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors will be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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