Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-28

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 6.5)

University period is a time where students build the foundation of their future, especially in terms of career. Therefore, there has been a long debate regarding whether students should learn diverse subjects, or shoud they master one specific field. I believe both point of views have their own benefits and reasons. In this essay, I shall discuss both opinions and will share my own as well.

On one hand, students want to learn different subjects alongside their main field of study. This is mainly due to genuine interest and a desire to learn a market-relevant skill. This provides the students with a diverse set of skills to work with, in their careers. Furthermore, it also boosts one's CV. For instance, a person who is pursuing a degree in education will also want to learn communication skills, leadership, and psychology, in addition to the teaching methodologies, techniques of evaluation and other relevant concepts. This will not only equip them with multiple skills, but it will also assist their main degree that they are pursing. Hence, opening doors to more career opportunities in the future.

On the other hand, some students argue that it is important to learn and specialize in only their main subject. The reason behind this is a goal of mastering a subject. Such students believe that only true mastery of a subject can lead to future success. Because if one does not have specialization in their main subject, how will they be equally better in other subjects. For example, students of medical sciences and engineers focus all their time paying attention to their main subject, rather than learing extra subjects, because they believe their main work is treating patients and working on mechanical or electrical work. This move can sometime act as a barrier in some cases

I am of the opinion that students, along with their main subjects, should also learn other subjects as well. The main reason behind this is the dynamic and complex nature of job market. Day-by-day, new skills are being introduced and in order to stay up-to-date, companies want their employees to have expertise in them. Most of the time these skills are different from their field of study. For example, after the AI was introduced, the businesses new that in order to stay relevant they will have to incorporate it in their workplace, and now, every business needs their employees to demonstrate at least basic level knowledge of AI. Therefore, one should not limit themselves only to one specific field, instead they should opt for learning new subjects and skills. This boosts their chance of skill.

Overall, I believe that both opinions are valid, and keeping today's dynamic workplace rules in mind, one should opt for having atleast basic knowledge of multiple subjects along with their main one.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task well, discussing both views regarding whether university students should learn diverse subjects or focus exclusively on their main qualification, and clearly presents the writer's own opinion. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as mentioning education students learning psychology and referencing the impact of artificial intelligence on the modern job market. Although some points could be slightly more deeply developed, the coverage is comprehensive enough to meet the requirements of Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear logical organization and progression throughout. It is divided into an introduction, well-defined body paragraphs exploring each viewpoint and the writer's stance, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to connect ideas (e.g., 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore'), although some referencing and transitions can occasionally feel a bit formulaic. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the overall progression of the argument remains clear and easy to follow. This performance aligns comfortably with Band 7.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and phrasal structures such as 'foundation of their future', 'market-relevant skill', and 'dynamic and complex nature of job market'. However, there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and spelling (e.g., 'point of views' instead of 'points of view', 'shoud' instead of 'should', 'learing' instead of 'learning', and 'new' instead of 'knew'). Despite these occasional errors, communication is not impeded, and the lexical range is sufficient to secure a solid Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional-like structures effectively (e.g., 'Because if one does not have specialization in their main subject, how will they be equally better in other subjects.'). There are a few grammatical errors and awkward phrasings present throughout the text, such as missing subject-verb agreement or incorrect punctuation, but the majority of sentences remain clear and comprehensible. These minor inaccuracies do not impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.5.

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