Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-12

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)

It is often argued that university students should broaden their academic horizons by studying subjects beyond their primary discipline, whereas others contend that concentrating exclusively on a qualification is more beneficial. Although both approaches have considerable merit, I believe that a balanced academic workload is preferable, as exposure to diverse fields can complement specialised knowledge while simultaneously developing valuable transferable skills.

In my perspective, the additional of other subjects are not crucial. Since, they can weak in main subjects the students can't perform properly in exam due to the additional subjects. My thoughts the students can't carries the additional subjects As, the reduced the percentage of exam. If the study the additional subjects they can't focus on main subjects.

For instance, If the students carries the additional such as Geography Even though, the Main Subject of student is Computer program they can't focus Properly Owing to Geography Subject.

While, the more significant is student attending the all classes at proper time and focus on study is crucial for qualification. If the student attends the all classes the will get high percentage on all subjects and the can't suffer on the other subjects.While, the students can't focused on the subject the can't perform on the exams.

In conclusion, while specialising in one subject can maximise academic achievement and professional expertise, studying additional disciplines can cultivate adaptability, creativity, and a broader perspective. In my view, students should primarily prioritise their qualifications but allocate reasonable time to complementary subjects, thereby achieving both academic depth and intellectual versatility.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response presents a clear position and attempts to address both views outlined in the prompt. The introduction and conclusion are well-formulated, showing an understanding of the debate surrounding broad versus specialised university education. However, the body paragraphs suffer from significant under-development and unclear expression, particularly in the second and third body paragraphs where the reasoning regarding students struggling with additional subjects becomes quite repetitive and muddled. While the writer touches on the core aspects of the task, the ideas are not fully extended or supported with convincing clarity. Therefore, this performance aligns closely with Band 5.5, as the task is addressed, but the development is limited and occasionally obscures the main argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into distinct paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are attempted, such as 'In my perspective', 'While', and 'In conclusion', but their use is frequently mechanical and sometimes grammatically incorrect, as seen in 'While, the more significant is student attending...'. Progression is also hindered in the middle section where sentences feel disconnected and ideas loop back on themselves rather than flowing logically forward. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion requires better management. These features place the response firmly at Band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for the task, successfully employing some higher-level phrases in the introduction and conclusion, such as 'broaden their academic horizons', 'primary discipline', and 'intellectual versatility'. However, the middle paragraphs reveal a much more limited and repetitive lexicon, accompanied by noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'additional of other subjects are not crucial' and 'weak in main subjects'. Vocabulary range is adequate for basic communication, but precision is lacking throughout the core arguments. This vocabulary profile corresponds to a Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with the introductory and concluding sentences showing a commendable attempt at complex structures. Unfortunately, the body paragraphs contain frequent and intrusive grammatical errors that significantly impede comprehension, including fragment sentences, incorrect verb forms ('the students can't carries', 'the study the additional subjects'), and faulty punctuation. The density of these basic errors means that error-free sentences are in the minority within the body of the essay. Consequently, the grammar warrants a Band 5.0 score.

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