Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-01

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 5.5)

Some students pursuing higher education believe that studying additional subjects alongside their main field can be beneficial, whereas others argue that they should devote all time and attention to their academic subjects. This essay will discuss both views before explaining why I believe that learning other subjects can provide valuable benefits.

One major reason why some university students choose to study subjects beyond their main field is that it allows them to develop a diverse range of knowledge and skills. This is mainly because exposure to different subjects can improve their critical thinking and help them understand problems from different perspectives. For example, a business student who studies psychology may gain a better understanding of consumer behaviour and communication. As a result, students can become more versatile and better prepared for their future careers.

On the other hand, some people argue that learners should devote all their time and attention to main subject. The main reason is that focusing exclusively on their qualification should allow them to gain in-debt knowledge of their field and achieve better academic results. This is because dividing their attention on several subjects may reduce the time available for their core studies. For example, a medical student who spend considerable time studying unrelated subjects may have less time to revise complex medical subjects.

In my opinion, university students should have the opportunity to study additional subjects because it can broaden their knowledge and provide them with useful skills beyond their main qualification.

In conclusion, although some people believe that university students should focus only on their main qualification as this helps to broaden their shill and knowledge level, while others argue that studying additional subjects can broaden their knowledge and skills because they can master their subjects.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on whether students should study additional subjects or focus solely on their main qualification, and it presents a clear position in the introduction and conclusion. However, the ideas are developed unevenly. While the body paragraphs offer relevant arguments—such as a business student studying psychology to understand consumer behaviour—the development is somewhat repetitive, and the conclusion contains a contradictory and confused summary in the final sentence where the ideas become muddled regarding breadth versus mastery. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to ensure that all arguments are fully extended without circular reasoning and that the concluding summary accurately reflects the core position without confusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph structure, using a standard introduction and conclusion alongside distinct body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'One major reason', 'On the other hand', and 'In my opinion' are used to signpost the progression of ideas. Nevertheless, cohesion is at times mechanical, and referencing becomes problematic in the concluding paragraph, where the final summary sentence creates confusion rather than reinforcing the logical flow. Additionally, the transition between ideas could be smoother. To improve, the writer should refine the use of transitional phrases to make them less formulaic and ensure that the final paragraph clearly and logically recapitulates the main points without contradictions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an acceptable range with attempts at less common items such as 'versatile', 'consumer behaviour', and 'qualification'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'in-debt knowledge' instead of 'in-depth knowledge', 'main subject' missing a plural or article, and a confusing slip in the final paragraph where 'broaden their shill' is written instead of 'skill'. These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they restrict the score. To progress, the writer should focus on precise word formation, accurate collocations, and careful proofreading to eliminate minor slips in vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with successful attempts at complex structures using relative clauses and subordinate conjunctions, such as 'Some students pursuing higher education believe that...' and 'This is mainly because exposure to different subjects can improve...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'a medical student who spend considerable time' instead of 'spends', and missing articles in phrases like 'to main subject'. However, these errors occur alongside error-free sentences and rarely impede communication. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to increase the proportion of error-free complex sentences and maintain strict accuracy with verb forms, singular and plural agreements, and article usage throughout the essay.

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

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