Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-04
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)
When the topic of subjects is discussed, there are divided opinions. One group of people believe that students should have to learn other subjects with main subjects. Other group of individuals think that pupils have to give time and concentrate main subjects only. Prior to my opinion, both the views are discussed further.
Discussing the former view, study of both main and other subjects can increase knowledge in many fields. If students have knowledge in more than one areas, career opportunities may be increase. Therefore, it is beneficial for their personal and professional growth. For example, many computer science students have knowledge of science and history. In addition, they may find their interested subject. When pupils study about more subjects, few of them they like to enhance their career in the future. As a result, they can be find best career according to their interest.
Discussing the latter view, study of main subjects can be beneficial. Because when students give their efforts in the main subjects, they may be became expert in those fields. Consequently, it is beneficial for the career. Furthermore, main subjects study can be less time consuming then study more subjects. If learners concentrate on main subjects, they can allocate their time in other outdoor and improving skills. Hence, it is beneficial for the both professional and personal growth. For instance, learners can do swimming or learning English language for communication.
In conclusion, although learning additional subjects with main subject can give benefits like improving knowledge and find interested subject, I believe that students have to focus on main subject because of become expert.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that studying additional subjects increases knowledge, the explanation remains quite general. Similarly, the argument for focusing on main subjects is repetitive, relying on the idea of becoming an 'expert' without exploring the nuance of academic depth versus breadth. To improve, aim to provide more specific, concrete examples or deeper analysis of the implications of each approach to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Discussing the former view', 'In addition', and 'Consequently' to guide the reader. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. The transition between sentences could be smoother to improve the flow of ideas. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'few of them they like to enhance their career', which disrupts the logical progression. Strengthening the variety of linking words would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing like 'main subjects' and 'beneficial'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choice errors, such as 'they can be find best career' and 'study more subjects' (instead of 'studying more subjects'). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to education and professional development, and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'One group of people believe' (subject-verb agreement), 'career opportunities may be increase' (passive voice error), and 'they may be became expert' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure often feels repetitive. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and verb tense consistency, and practice using more complex sentence forms like relative clauses or conditional structures with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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