Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-22

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 6.0)

It is often debated whether university students should broaden their knowledge by studying additional subjects or focus solely on their major. This essay will discuss both views before concluding that learning other subjects is more beneficial.

On the one hand, there are clear advantages to studying other subjects alongside a main qualification. Firstly, it enhances employability. In today's competitive job market, employers look for versatile graduates. For example, a chemistry student like me who also knows about computer skills, English communication, or business management has a much higher chance of getting a good job than someone who only knows chemistry. Secondly, learning different subjects develops soft skills and makes a person more well-rounded and open-minded. Studying psychology, for instance, can improve interpersonal skills, while learning a foreign language can boost cultural awareness.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student addresses the prompt by discussing the advantages of studying additional subjects alongside a main qualification, and outlines a clear position stating that learning other subjects is more beneficial. Relevant ideas such as employability and developing soft skills are introduced and supported with examples like learning computer skills or psychology. However, because the response is incomplete and breaks off mid-way through the second viewpoint and conclusion, it can only be considered a partial response to the task. According to the task achievement descriptors, this falls under Band 5 due to the severe under-length nature of the text.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a clear attempt at logical organization and progression. The introduction successfully outlines the essay structure using standard academic phrasing ("This essay will discuss both views before concluding..."). Within the body paragraph, cohesive devices such as "Firstly," "Secondly," and "for instance" are used appropriately to sequence ideas. Paragraphing is introduced correctly, although the essay remains unfinished. The internal structure and referencing of ideas are clear and easy to follow, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptor for overall coherence despite the truncated length.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using terms like "employability," "competitive job market," "versatile graduates," and "interpersonal skills." There are also successful attempts at less common lexical items and collocations, such as "cultural awareness" and "open-minded." Word choice is generally appropriate and communication is not impeded at any point. While the range is somewhat limited by the short length of the text, the vocabulary deployed easily satisfies the requirements for Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The writer uses complex structures effectively, such as conditional or participial clauses integrated smoothly into sentences like "In today's competitive job market, employers look for versatile graduates." Grammatical accuracy is quite high for the text produced, with very few errors present in the sentences written. The control of grammar and punctuation meets the criteria for Band 7, as there are frequent error-free sentences, though the limited overall output prevents a higher evaluation of structural range.

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

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