Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-05

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)

In recent years, whether university students should learn about new subjects has emerged as a subject of considerable debate. Some maintain that, learning new subjects may help students to discover their interests, while others argue that, it is essential to devote all their time and effort to study their main subjects for a qualification. In this essay, both views will be discussed.

First of all, students should strike a balance between learning new subjects and giving proper attention to their main subjects. It will help them to discover their interests side by side, which may lead to achieving their academic goals. For example; nowadays, students discover their preferences and based upon that, they spend their time on new activites like, learning music instruments, sports, which may result in, achieving personal goals.

On the other hand, students should give a specific amount of time to their main subjects because university qualifications often requires students to study complex concepts and complete assignments within a limited period of time. Moreover, spending too much time on unrelated subjects may lead to, decrease in academic marks. For example; a medical student tends to practice subjects related to their course, which improves their practical knowledge. It also helps them to achieve their end goal in future.

To sum up, I think that, graduates should spend their time equally on both subjects, as learning new subjects can give them more exposure and develop new skills, while focusing on their main subjects is also important for achieving good academic results and obtaining a qualification.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on whether university students should explore other subjects or focus entirely on their main qualifications, and a clear personal position is presented in the conclusion. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others. For instance, the argument regarding students discovering their interests through new activities is somewhat general and lacks deep elaboration. Similarly, the example of a medical student in the third paragraph is relevant but remains slightly basic. To reach a higher level, all main points would need to be extended with more fully realised examples and deeper analysis of the implications of each educational approach.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. Each paragraph has a discernible focus, moving from a balanced view to arguments for focusing on main subjects, and culminating in a summary of the author's opinion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'First of all', 'On the other hand', and 'To sum up', though referencing and transitions can occasionally feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different facets of the prompt. To achieve a higher standard, the flow between sentences could be made smoother and more natural without relying heavily on standard transitional formulas.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating the main arguments without causing comprehension difficulties. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'considerable debate', 'strike a balance', and 'practical knowledge', though there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as writing 'study their main subjects' instead of 'studying', and 'decrease in academic marks' lacking a necessary article. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the response. To progress further, the writer should incorporate a wider variety of precise, sophisticated lexical items and idioms, demonstrating greater flexibility and control over less common vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like conditional ideas and relative clauses. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly with intrusive commas that disrupt sentence flow, such as 'Some maintain that, learning new subjects may help...' and 'For example; nowadays...'. Other minor issues include verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'university qualifications often requires'. However, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the arguments easily. To attain a higher band, the writer needs to produce a greater proportion of error-free complex sentences and exercise tighter control over punctuation.

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