Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-27

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)

University students have different approaches to their education. While some prefer to explore subjects beyond their main field of study, others believe that focusing entirely on their qualification is more beneficial. In my opinion, studying additional subjects can provide students with broader knowledge and greater career opportunities.

Many students choose to study additional subjects because they believe this can broaden their knowledge and improve their career prospects. For example, an MBA student specialising in marketing may also study finance. Knowledge of finance could help this student understand how to allocate budgets for different marketing campaigns and assess their financial effectiveness.

On the other hand, specialising in a single subject allows students to devote more time to mastering the knowledge and skills required for their chosen profession. This can be particularly important in fields such as medicine or engineering, where professionals need extensive specialised knowledge and cannot afford to have only a superficial understanding of their subject. Nevertheless, I believe that some exposure to other disciplines can complement this specialisation rather than replace it.

Having qualification in one subject is good idea but in my opinion, knowledge of different subjects have more advantages than the one can think. Such as different career opportunities are available in practical life. For example, a marketing professional with knowledge of finance, data analysis and consumer psychology may be able to pursue a wider range of roles than someone with expertise in marketing alone.

In conclusion, although specialising in a single subject can help students develop deep expertise, I believe that studying additional disciplines is more beneficial overall because it broadens their knowledge and can create wider career opportunities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the MBA student scenario and the mention of medicine and engineering. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development of the second view (specialisation) could be slightly more balanced against the first, as the essay leans heavily into the benefits of multidisciplinary study. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'While', 'On the other hand', 'Nevertheless', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between sentences is clear, demonstrating a good command of organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses relevant academic terminology such as 'specialising', 'career prospects', 'complement', and 'expertise'. While the range is adequate, it lacks the more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations that would characterize a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice, and the meaning is always clear. To improve, the student could incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the meaning is never obscured by grammatical slips. There are minor errors, such as 'Having qualification in one subject is good idea' (missing articles) and 'knowledge of different subjects have' (subject-verb agreement). However, these are infrequent and do not impede communication. The use of complex structures, such as conditional or concessive clauses, is generally accurate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument.

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

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