Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-20

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 has been an ongoing debate about whether students want to acquire knowledge about other subjects in additions to their main curriculum subjects. Some believe that it's important to give all their time and attention to studying for a better qualification. I firmly agree with the view that students have exposure to other fields or subjects in addition to their regular curriculum due to several compelling reasons.

To commence with, one of the most significant reason is that they can acquire knowledge on other subjects which will eventually help them in future to change their career goals if they find their main subjects challenging. As a result, they can explore many field and decide appropriate path for their future. For instance, students can engaged themselves on different sectors like sports, arts, acting that creates more involvement of students in every sector rather than only academic field.

On the other hand, some individuals believe that it is more important to give all their time and attention to study for a qualification. The viewpoints is supported by the fact that studens would have less time to focus on their main studies which would eventually decline their GPA in their class. As a result, it would create less concentration on their studies and will follow the easy path rather than the hard path for their career. For instance, less students would have a goal to become a doctor, an engineer or the pilot etc.

In conclusion, while both views have their own merits, I believe that it's important to learn other subjects in addition to their main subjects as it more practical and benefical in the long run.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on whether students should learn outside their main curriculum or focus solely on qualifications, and clearly states the writer's opinion in the introduction. Ideas are extended with relevant explanations, such as mentioning how exploring diverse fields like arts or sports helps students pivot career goals if needed. However, some arguments lack full development; for example, the counter-argument regarding GPA decline is slightly generalised and could have been reinforced with a stronger, more concrete example. Nevertheless, the position remains clear throughout the essay, fulfilling the criteria for a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6 performance, comfortably matching the requirements of Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression of ideas from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each body paragraph dedicated to a distinct viewpoint. Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, such as 'To commence with', 'As a result', and 'On the other hand'. However, some referencing and transitional links feel slightly mechanical or repetitive ('As a result' is used multiple times consecutively). Additionally, minor phrasing issues in transitions slightly disrupt the flow. Overall, the organizational structure is clear and easy to follow, aligning well with the expectations of Band 6.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'curriculum', 'compelling reasons', and 'benefical' (though misspelled). There are noticeable vocabulary and spelling errors throughout the text, including 'in additions' instead of 'in addition', 'engaged' instead of 'engage', and 'studens' instead of 'students'. Word choice is occasionally imprecise, such as 'the pilot' instead of just 'pilots'. Despite these limitations, the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the intended meaning without impeding overall communication, placing the response firmly in the Band 6 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'I firmly agree with the view that students have exposure to other fields...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors in tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, and article usage, such as 'one of the most significant reason is', 'students can engaged', and 'The viewpoints is supported'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical inaccuracies occur consistently throughout the response. Although these errors do not severely impede communication, they restrict the grammar score to Band 5.5 because error-free sentences are not sufficiently frequent.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.