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)

A number of individuals believe that university students should learn about additional subjects alongside their core courses, while others feel that it is more important to devote all their time and attention to studying for their degree. Although focusing only on core courses can be beneficial for achieving good grades, learning other subjects can help students develop broader knowledge and skills.

On the one hand, focusing only on core courses and gaining in-depth knowledge of them can help students achieve good grades. For students who prioritise academic performance, this strategy can be effective. However, this approach can also have some disadvantages because when students focus exclusively on their course material, they may not develop a high level of critical thinking and practical skills. For instance, the requirements of the job market are constantly changing, and employers increasingly require people with new skills and greater creativity.

On the other hand, having broader knowledge and a range of skills is increasingly important in today's world. When students learn additional subjects, they gain knowledge that can help them in their future careers. For example, studying subjects such as communication or psychology can help students understand other people and communicate more effectively. This can improve their interpersonal skills and make them more capable of working with others.

In conclusion, although students should primarily focus on their qualifications in order to achieve good academic results, I believe that learning additional subjects is also important because it broadens their knowledge and helps them develop valuable skills.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—focusing solely on core courses versus learning additional subjects—and clearly stating a personal position in the conclusion. The ideas are relevant and supported with explanations, such as mentioning how subjects like communication or psychology improve interpersonal skills. However, some arguments could be extended further with more detailed supporting examples to meet the higher band descriptors. The position is maintained clearly throughout the essay, demonstrating a good understanding of the prompt requirements. Overall, the task response is well-structured and directly answers the question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a clear overall progression and logical organisation. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, starting with an introduction, moving to separate body paragraphs addressing each viewpoint using standard cohesive phrases like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand', and finishing with a logical conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat standard and mechanical rather than flexible, which places this response comfortably in the Band 6 to 7 range. Referencing and substitution are generally clear, allowing the reader to follow the argument without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, such as 'core courses', 'academic performance', 'interpersonal skills', and 'job market'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though some phrasing feels a bit repetitive, such as the repeated use of 'focusing only on core courses' and 'learning additional subjects'. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, the writer would need to incorporate a wider range of sophisticated, less common lexical items with precise collocation and stylistic awareness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The writer successfully uses subordinate clauses, such as 'Although focusing only on core courses can be beneficial...' and 'When students learn additional subjects...'. There are minor grammatical and punctuation lapses, but the majority of sentences are clear and correct. The grammatical errors do not impede communication. Control over complex sentence structures is generally good, supporting the overall clarity of the argument. With a slightly higher frequency of error-free complex sentences, the score would increase further.

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