Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-24

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 5.0)

In recent years, the question of subject selection in university has sparked intense discourse among scholars and the public alike. While proponents argue that student want to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects, critics contend that it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. Having examined both stances, I am inclined to support the latter perspective, as students should allow to learn other subjects in assition to their main subjects..

Advocating for the former stance, supporters maintain that student should learn other subjects regardless of their main subjects. The primary justification lies in the premise that additional subject gives motivation and confidance to the student, which subsequently facilitates a student can adapt additional capabelitis with the subject selected by himself and feel sence of achivment by the completing the subject. To illustrate, a computer sience student wants to learn about haking, insted of relaing on university's subject he can select more subject related to haking. As a direct consequence, it should be freedom for a student to learn about other subjects outside from their main subjects.

Conversely, a compelling counterargument emphasizes that it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. A significant factor underpinning this claim is that the subjects selected by the university is more likely to achive higher qualification in the specific filde. A prominent case in point is a university will select all relevent subject which should be important to learn to achive the qualification. From my perspective, this line of reasoning carries substantially lower weight, given that other subject will allow student to exparimant their knowlage..

In conclusion, both views have valid points. However, I belive that learning additional subjects is more realistic because its gives motivaion and confidance to the student.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The student addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views on whether university students should learn other subjects outside their main curriculum and providing a personal opinion. However, the position stated in the introduction is contradictory, as the writer claims to support the critics' view ('I am inclined to support the latter perspective') while immediately adding a clause supporting the opposite view ('as students should allow to learn other subjects...'). Ideas are presented, but their development is limited and repetitive. For instance, the discussion on motivation and confidence is reiterated without being extended into deeper analysis or distinct supporting arguments. Furthermore, the example regarding 'haking' (hacking) is somewhat informal and underdeveloped. Consequently, the response fits best at Band 5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response is arranged into four paragraphs with a clear introduction and conclusion, demonstrating some organizational structure. However, overall progression is hindered by repetitive phrasing and weak logical links between sentences. Cohesive devices are sometimes inaccurate or awkward, such as 'Advocating for the former stance, supporters maintain that student should learn...' and 'A significant factor underpinning this claim is that the subjects selected by the university is more likely to achive...'. Paragraphing is used, but the internal flow of ideas within paragraphs lacks seamless transitions. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the mechanical nature of some cohesive ties limits the text to a Band 5 level.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'discourse', 'proponents', and 'underpinning', but these are frequently undermined by noticeable spelling and word choice errors. Examples of lexical inaccuracies include 'confidance' (confidence), 'capabelitis' (capabilities), 'sence' (sense), 'achivment' (achievement), 'sience' (science), 'haking' (hacking), 'insted' (instead), 'relaing' (relying), 'filde' (field), 'relevent' (relevant), 'exparimant' (experiment), and 'knowlage' (knowledge). These spelling errors and faulty collocations occur throughout the text and cause some difficulty for the reader, aligning with Band 5 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional and relative clauses. However, control over grammar and punctuation is weak, and frequent errors impede clarity. Notable grammatical errors include passive voice failure ('students should allow to learn' instead of 'students should be allowed to learn'), subject-verb agreement errors ('the subjects selected by the university is' and 'additional subject gives'), and article misuse ('a university will select all relevent subject'). Punctuation and double spacing errors also appear (e.g., 'that the subjects'). Because attempts at complex structures are frequently faulty and cause difficulty, the performance warrants a Band 5.

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