Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-07
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)
Some university students take more interest in learning other subjects in addition to their main subjects because other subject may look interesting and they will learn new skills like communication. Others believe it is more significant to give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification because they believe that studying helps in learning new skills as well as polishing the existing skills.
Learning other subjects in addition to the main subjects can help university students to learn significant amount of skills in the main subject as well as in other subjects. These skills may include moral values, ethics and communication which are also important to improve the personality and character of students. Although learning additional subjects can take time, they unlock more opportunities for students like different jobs that require these kinds of skills.
Some students believe it is more important to give all their time and focus to studying for a qualification because studying helps to learn new skills and polish the existing skills. These skills are significant for students in their respective careers. Furthermore, studying with full attention will help students in longer run for instance, to pass the interview students should know the answers of questions that are asked.
In my opinion, students should learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects because learning other subjects unlocks more opportunities in the future. For example, if a student is pursuing bachelors in computer science then they should also learn business subjects which will help them to do good in their business if will have a software house in future.
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 prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While the arguments for learning additional subjects are reasonably supported, the counter-argument regarding focusing solely on a qualification is repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the explanation of 'polishing existing skills' is mentioned twice in the same paragraph without further elaboration. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific, nuanced examples rather than repeating the same general points. The conclusion is clear, but the overall development remains somewhat superficial.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Furthermore' and 'For example', to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For example, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as the use of 'they' in the second paragraph, which could refer to either 'additional subjects' or 'students'. Improving the variety and precision of your linking words would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some relevant academic terms like 'qualification', 'pursuing', and 'respective careers'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat words like 'skills' and 'subjects' frequently. There are also minor issues with collocation, such as 'do good in their business' (should be 'succeed in their business') and 'take more interest' (which is acceptable but could be more sophisticated). To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and topic-specific collocations to demonstrate a wider range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'other subject may look interesting' (missing article/pluralization), 'if will have a software house' (missing subject 'they'), and 'in longer run' (missing article 'the'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do indicate a lack of full control over complex structures. To achieve a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, and try to vary your sentence structure with more complex, error-free clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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