Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-06

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)

In my perspective both views have equal weightage, also it depends upon the students own desire. If some University students want to learn more subjects, which is not relevant to their main course for qualification then it's just going to be useful as a extra knowledge.

I strongly believe that focusing on one subject makes you perfect in a particular field. In that one can be professional too.

However, university students do have a significant amount of work and limited time to get it done. If the main subject is of less duration with no burden and easy to understand then a student can add other subjects too. In various studies it shows that many students want to do extra because of fear of not being a perfect candidate.

There is an example of my friend, who was enrolled for dual degree which is 2 different courses, one was health informatics and the other one was public health. Later he didn't perform well in both and failed to pass out with a degree qualification. The conclude of this one is choosing what relevant is important and how much bearing strength you do have. I contemplate that choosing a one subject, where you can focus and give all your time is going to make someone perfect, and for me that is an achievement. Indulging in all subjects and bearing that burden makes you more stressed and leads to the serious health consequences. Somehow, it enormously affects students work life balance.

AI examiner evaluation

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 and repetitive. The essay falls just short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which impacts the overall task achievement score. While the prompt asks for a discussion of both views, the arguments regarding the benefits of learning additional subjects are underdeveloped compared to the focus on specialization. To improve, ensure that each viewpoint is supported by more detailed reasoning and clearer examples, and ensure the essay meets the minimum length requirement to avoid a penalty.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and abrupt transitions. For example, the transition 'The conclude of this one is...' is non-standard and disrupts the flow. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often mechanical or misused, such as 'In that one can be professional too.' Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of non-standard word choices, such as 'weightage' (a common regionalism), 'bearing strength' (unnatural collocation), and 'pass out' (which usually refers to fainting, not graduating). The use of 'perfect' is repetitive throughout the text. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more academic collocations and synonyms to express your ideas more precisely, rather than relying on basic or incorrectly used terminology.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'In various studies it shows that...' (incorrect subject-verb structure), 'choosing a one subject' (incorrect article usage), and 'leads to the serious health consequences' (unnecessary article). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and refining complex sentence structures to ensure they are grammatically sound.

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