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)
There is considerable debate about whether it is important to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects. While others believe that it is more crucial to give all their time and attention to study their main subject. I believe that some subjects in bachelors study in addition to major ones can help in the practical life of students.
Firstly, additional subjects in the course of university students can lead to positive change in every field of life. People can get aware of the things happening in their surrounding due to knowledge in various fields. For example, if a person is a physics graduate and if he had a significant amount of knowledge in biology field by pursuing additional subjects in bachelors. It can has a positive influence in his life because he already had awareness of how his body organs works and how he can stay away from many diseases. Consequently, having unrelated subjects in university mainly in life sciences can have a vital role in a person's life.
Secondly, having extra subjects in graduation can increase the employment and earning chances for a adult. As people are too much dependent on technology nowadays. A valuable information about the computer science, IT and AI can support the students and young graduates to start their own business. Moreover, many programming jobs at lower scale can also be a good option for unemployed individuals. For instance, a social science graduate can also does stenographer or data entry job if he didn't get any suitable job in his own field. As a result, a considerable amount of knowledge in computer science can give the financial security.
In conclusion, pursuing high scope subjects will support in daily life practices as well as in professional career. So, Government ought to take legal notice for extra subjects in university for students.
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 both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the benefits of interdisciplinary knowledge for health awareness and the economic advantages of learning IT skills. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the example of a physics graduate learning biology is a good start but could be more deeply explored to show how this specifically impacts their professional or personal life. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and introduces a new, slightly off-topic suggestion regarding government intervention. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully extended with more detailed reasoning and that the conclusion effectively synthesizes the main arguments presented in the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'For example', and 'Consequently' helps to guide the reader through the argument. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'It can has a positive influence in his life because he already had awareness...'. The transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is also slightly abrupt due to the sentence fragment 'While others believe...'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would enhance the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'interdisciplinary', 'professional career', and 'financial security'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'high scope subjects' and 'take legal notice for extra subjects'. Additionally, there is some repetition of basic terms like 'subjects' and 'life'. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary to convey their points with greater sophistication and nuance, while ensuring that the chosen words fit the context of the argument naturally.
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 frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('a social science graduate can also does'), incorrect verb forms ('It can has a positive influence'), and sentence fragments ('While others believe that it is more crucial to give all their time and attention to study their main subject.'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the misuse of sentence boundaries is a recurring issue. To achieve a higher score, the student needs to focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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