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)

A lot of students want to learn about other subjects besides their main subjects. Many students believe that it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for a degree. I think that both view has strong arguments.

On the one hand, learning different subjects can be benefits in various ways. First, they gain knowledge and broader their experience. A physics student can read economics and history books. They can become more knowledgeable and known about different topics, which a physic student who only focus their own subjects they cannot gain. Second, they become success in many sectors in the modern competive world. For example, in Bangladesh, if anyone want a first class government jobs they must pass in BCS exam, which questions includes from Bangla, English, Math, Science, History, and others. So, learning others subjects can be advantageous.

On the other hand, focusing a subject has some rationales. To begin with, if they only a particular subject, they become experts this sector. They get a better score in exams. For instance, a heart-surgeon can do open heart surgery in many times they become experts on this side. A physics professor become successful in his research life. Moreover, in modern world, many organizations want qualified person and experienced one. So, if anyone has such experience they can easily get this jobs. A private company requires a better academic results in their jobs sector. Thus, there are some benefits exists.

In conclusion, both learning have their advantages. If anyone want to become a specialist, they focus only their main subject. However, when they want to become a generalist they can learn other subjects.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially by discussing both views—multidisciplinary learning versus intense focus on a single qualification—and offering an opinion. However, the development of ideas remains limited and under-developed. For instance, the argument about the BCS exam in Bangladesh mentions a relevant local context, but the explanation lacks sufficient elaboration to fully support the point about career success. Similarly, the counterargument regarding specialists like heart surgeons is stated simply without deep exploration. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to extend and support all arguments more thoroughly, ensuring every main point is fully fleshed out with robust explanations and clear examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical four-paragraph structure with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing each viewpoint, and a conclusion. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. The writer relies heavily on basic transitional markers such as 'First', 'Second', 'On the one hand', and 'On the other hand'. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'if they only a particular subject' where the pronoun reference lacks immediate clarity. Progression is present, but the overall flow can feel somewhat disjointed due to mechanical linking and repetitive transitional formulas. To progress further, the writer should integrate a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure referencing is consistently precise throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task, providing enough range to discuss the topic. There are, however, noticeable lexical errors and issues with word formation, collocation, and word choice that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. Examples include 'broader their experience' instead of 'broaden', 'competive' instead of 'competitive', 'learning others subjects', and 'qualified person and experienced one'. Furthermore, the phrase 'focus a subject' misses the preposition 'on'. While the writer attempts some less common vocabulary items, these inaccuracies prevent the response from achieving a higher band. To improve, the writer needs to focus on accurate word forms, proper collocations, and careful proofreading to eliminate spelling and lexical slips.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The essay displays a limited range of grammatical structures, relying primarily on basic sentence forms with some attempts at complex sentences that are often faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors in verb forms, tenses, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions within grammatical patterns. Examples of these errors include 'both view has strong arguments' (plurality and verb agreement), 'a physic student who only focus their own subjects they cannot gain' (article usage, subject-verb agreement, and redundant pronoun placement), 'if anyone want a first class government jobs' (conditional structure and plural agreement), and 'focus only their main subject'. These frequent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader. To improve, the writer must expand the variety of complex sentence structures and exercise greater control over basic grammar rules, particularly subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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