Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Some university students wish to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects. Others think it is more important to give all their attention to main subject. I think universities should give a chance to its students to explore other options or subjects because it gives them opportunity to diversify their studies but only if it is relevant to them.

The students learning other subjects give them chance to learn new and different skills and increase their knowledge. For example, studying business with computer science might give them opportunity to have skills of both subjects rather than just focusing on one, results in many career prospects and increasing their job chances. Additionally, learning about other subjects may enhance their knowledge and skills which might be useful in upcoming professions and have variety of career paths. In this way students get a chance to discover other fields which may benefit them in future and even help them better understand their main qualification. For example, many medical students have math or statistics or technology involved their degree so this can help them learn about different surgical machines or instruments.

However, some people believe that focusing on main subject degree is more essential than giving attention to other subjects. As giving time to main subject qualification might not hinder a student degree or may not distract them from their major qualification. Moreover, it keeps them focused on their main subject qualification and give them clear thoughts about their career, as students studying multiple subjects may result in not focusing on specific area which they want to pursue. For example, focusing only on business degree only may give students clarity regarding future and ace that only because focusing on more things can have greater chances of loss of their attention span and loss of building career in specific field rather than flourishing in it.

In conclusion, I think students should get a chance to explore more career paths or learn different skills only if its relevant to their field rather than completely getting away from it and give attention to those subjects which are crucial and appropriate to their field only.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—learning additional subjects versus focusing exclusively on a main qualification—and provides a clear personal position throughout the essay. For instance, the introduction and conclusion clearly state your opinion that exploring other subjects is beneficial only if it remains relevant to the student's primary field. However, some ideas are under-developed rather than fully extended. While you mention that studying business with computer science offers broader career prospects, this point is not elaborated with deep analysis. Similarly, the arguments for focusing solely on the main subject are somewhat repetitive, centering mainly on career clarity. To reach a higher band, you need to extend all your supporting points with more thorough explanations and concrete real-world consequences.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression of ideas from the introduction, through body paragraphs discussing each viewpoint, to a summarizing conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different arguments, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct perspective. Cohesive devices are employed to link sentences and ideas, such as 'Additionally', 'However', and 'In conclusion'. Nevertheless, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or slightly faulty. For example, referencing can be unclear, and some transitional phrases feel repetitive or overused, such as starting multiple consecutive sentences with 'For example' or 'Focusing only on'. To improve, you should employ a wider variety of cohesive ties and ensure smoother logical transitions between sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, providing a sufficient range to communicate your ideas about university studies. You attempt some less common items and subject-specific vocabulary, such as 'diversify', 'career prospects', and 'qualification'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and word formation that prevent a higher score. For instance, writing 'main subject degree' instead of 'major' or 'primary degree', and the awkward phrasing 'results in many career prospects and increasing their job chances', show a lack of precision. There are also occasional inaccuracies in word forms, such as using 'results' where a participle or infinitive structure is required. To achieve a higher level, you should focus on natural collocations and precise lexical choices.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt to use subordinate clauses and conditional structures, such as 'only if it is relevant to them'. There are, however, some recurring errors in grammar and punctuation. These include issues with article usage ('learning other subjects give them chance' instead of 'gives them a chance'), pluralization inconsistencies ('involved their degree' instead of 'involved in their degree'), and awkward prepositions. While these errors rarely impede overall communication, they do persist throughout the text. To attain a higher band, you need to produce a higher frequency of error-free complex sentences and demonstrate tighter control over grammatical agreements and structural patterns.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.