Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-29

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)

Despite progressing rapidly in learning methods, some students still want to learn other subjects in addition to their main subjects, while others argue that it is more pivotal for them to give their time and attention to studying for a qualification. From my perspective, it can be beneficial for learners to gain a diverse range of knowledge by studying other courses as well.

On one hand, Studying multiple subjects can assist individuals to become versatile, a person who can apply his knowledge and skills in different fields for betterment of his conditions in the future. Additionally, learning various courses can provide several opportunities to these people, not only in their profession but also in others. For instance, many developing countries are progressing rapidly in their socio-economic growth by implementing new education models, which include equal weightage for other and major courses. Therefore, some students want to learn other courses as well to enhance their career opportunities.

On the other hand, Studying other courses can place additional pressure on financial resources of students' families and can be a cause of distraction for learners. In addition, this policy can divide students' focus and time for studying their main courses. The clear illustration of this is provided by several education institutions who are facing a significant decline in their students' progress, despite teaching additional courses with main subjects.

Although I believe that adding other subjects can place an additional burden on individuals' financial money and can be a source of losing focus. However, the benefit of getting more career options in the future can outweigh its disadvantages.

To conclude, Studying other courses has many pros and cons, but from my perspective, it can open many doors to improve individuals' circumstances which can outweigh its disadvantage of distraction.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—learning additional subjects versus focusing exclusively on a qualification—and clearly states the writer's own perspective. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are generally well developed and supported with reasons, such as versatility and career opportunities versus financial pressure and distraction. However, some arguments tend towards over-generalisation, such as the claim about developing countries implementing new education models, which lacks specific illustration. This places the performance comfortably at Band 6.5 to 7.0. Given that the main parts of the prompt are fully covered and extended, the essay meets the criteria for Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are structured into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing each viewpoint, a nuanced conclusion that acknowledges counterarguments, and a final summary statement. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Additionally', and 'To conclude' are used to connect ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the phrasing in the conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the overall progression of the essay remains clear and easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate and generally sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common items such as 'versatile', 'socio-economic growth', and 'counterbalance' concepts. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'financial money' instead of simply 'financial resources' or 'finances', and repetitive usage of words like 'courses' and 'subjects'. Despite these occasional lexical slips and minor errors, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the intended meaning clearly without impeding communication, aligning well with the Band 6.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordination and varied structures, such as concessive clauses starting with 'Despite' and 'Although'. There are, however, several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, including 'a person who can apply his knowledge and skills... for betterment of his conditions' (missing articles and slight awkwardness) and a fragment/run-in issue in the fourth paragraph ('Although I believe that... However, the benefit...'). While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the argument without significant difficulty. This balances out to a solid Band 6.0.

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