Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-02
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)
People have different views whether students should learn other subjects in addition to their main subjects or give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. I believe students should learn other subjects as well in addition to their main subjects because new subjects can give them more knowledge and valuable skills.
On the one hand, proponents of devoting all the attention for qualification argue that students need to dedicate their time and attention to their main field of study. This is primarily because additional subjects can put unnecessary pressure on the students. Moreover, other subjects can also put unwanted stress which can put negative effect on their academic scores. For example, an engineering student who spends most of the time studying the main subjects may find it hard to complete additional subjects provided by the university.
On the other hand, those who advocate students should learn other subjects in addition to their main subjects. This is mainly because additional subjects help in enhancing the knowledge, valuable skills et cetera. Furthermore, additional subjects also help in multi-tasking, grasping more knowledge and it attracts more job opportunities. For example, a computer science student with additional subjects may attract more job opportunities than students who solely focus on just core subjects.
In conclusion, although by learning additional subjects students may have to fight with unnecessary pressure, stress and poor academic scores under certain circumstances, I believe additional subjects help expanding knowledge, with more exposure to skills, job opportunities and carrier betterment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 task, presenting both sides of the argument and a clear personal position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'unnecessary pressure' is mentioned but not deeply explored with specific, nuanced examples. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points, but the overall depth of the discussion remains at a fairly basic level. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more detailed explanations and more sophisticated examples to support your claims, ensuring that the 'why' and 'how' of your arguments are fully articulated.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. The use of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' helps the reader follow the logical progression of the argument. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved. For example, the sentence 'This is mainly because additional subjects help in enhancing the knowledge, valuable skills et cetera' is a bit repetitive and lacks a smooth connection to the previous sentence. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring better flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be conveyed clearly. You make attempts to use academic vocabulary, such as 'proponents,' 'advocate,' and 'enhancing.' However, there are some inaccuracies and informal phrasing, such as 'et cetera,' which is generally avoided in formal academic writing, and the misspelling of 'career' as 'carrier.' To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding informal abbreviations. Expanding your range of topic-specific vocabulary related to higher education would also help elevate your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'People have different views whether...' should be 'People have different views on whether...' and '...put negative effect on their academic scores' should be '...have a negative effect on their academic scores.' Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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