Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-11
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 undergraduates have interest to learn not only main subjects, and the other subjects which classified like additional subjects. But the others opinion says about importance to focus all the time only to studying for a qualification. In my opinion studying other subjects in addition to main subjects is much better to only focus for qualification.
On the one hand, if you give all your time for studying main subjects to improve your skills sounds better than having a hobbies, because if you improve your skills in the professional subjects, it can give you the opportunities to better qualification, and better job in the future. But in the reality, focusing all attention to studying only what you need, by the time can slowly burn your mental health. Scientist says "Doing the same type of actions for over long period can create the boredom in human", and thats why peoples never can be focused on same thing too long.
On the other hand, studying the subjects which is not professional classified, can affect on the main skills which main subjects gives. But if we look at the situtation from different angle we can see. Studying some subjects which is consider like a hobby can significantly increase the mental health of the student, and didnt let him get bored overtime. That is one of the main features to study subjects except the main chosen ones.
Overall, both opinions is good and argumented, there is advantages and disadvantages in the both points of view, but people mostly prefer the second variant.
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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that studying additional subjects can prevent burnout, the explanation remains superficial. The argument regarding focusing solely on main subjects is also underdeveloped, relying on general statements rather than specific examples or logical progression. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed reasoning and concrete examples, such as how specific interdisciplinary studies might benefit a student's career path or how a balanced curriculum is structured in certain academic systems.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of linking words is occasionally awkward, such as 'But in the reality' or 'That is one of the main features'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the concluding paragraph where the reference to 'the second variant' is vague. Improving the variety and naturalness of your transitions will help the ideas progress more smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing, such as 'main subjects' and 'studying', which are repeated frequently. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'not professional classified' instead of 'not related to their major' and 'argumented' instead of 'well-argued'. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and collocations that are appropriate for an academic context, and ensure that you are using words in their correct grammatical form.
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 subject-verb agreement issues ('others opinion says', 'both opinions is good') and incorrect article usage ('the other subjects which classified'). Additionally, there are punctuation and phrasing errors, such as 'didnt let him get bored'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a stronger grasp of basic sentence construction and verb tenses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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