Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-06
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)
Nowadays, whether to stick to the course subjects of university or not has become a widely debated issue. Some people argue that some students eager to learn about other lessons in addition to their main course while other think that it is essential to give all their attention to course subjects. I firmly believe that students must read other subjects too. This essay will discuss the reasons for both viewpoints and my opinion as well.
Some people think that some of the students of university want to learn about other subjects in addition to their major course subjects. For example, if a student find interest in other lessons too, he will voluntarily read through other courses too. This is mainly because to clear their concepts and to broad their knowledge.
Others contend that students should focus on the main course of their subject.For instance, if a student stick to its main subjects, he will be able to become more focused on it and achieve good grades. Furthermore, it helps the students to avoid distractions.
In conclusion, although there are valid arguments in favour of view that student should give their time to main subjects because it will help them to stay focus on it, there are also some valid reasons in favour of reading other subjects that are not the part of syllabus because they help to acheive more information. I strongly believe that students should explore other courses as it will help them to explore their potential, improve their reading skills and enhance their general knowledge.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the task only partially, sitting firmly at a lower level due to several limitations. First, please note that the response fails to meet the minimum length requirement, containing only 247 words (excluding copied prompt text), which is 3 words short of the 250-word minimum. The student discusses both views and states a personal opinion, but the ideas remain limited and under-developed. For example, the body paragraphs simply repeat that students want to learn other subjects 'to clear their concepts and to broad their knowledge' without providing fully elaborated real-world examples or deeper explanations. Furthermore, the position is sometimes repetitive, echoing similar sentiments across the body and conclusion without strong analytical extension.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates some organisation with a traditional four-paragraph structure, but it lacks a clear overall progression. While basic cohesive devices are present, such as 'For example', 'Others contend', and 'In conclusion', referencing and transitions can be mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the phrase 'Some people think that some of the students of university want to learn...' creates a clunky and repetitive logical flow. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, the two viewpoints, and the conclusion, but the internal connections between sentences within the body paragraphs feel disjointed and fail to build a smooth, cohesive argument throughout the text.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The lexical resource is limited but minimally adequate for the task. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'voluntarily', 'distractions', and 'potential', but these attempts are accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice, word form, and spelling. For instance, the student writes 'to broad their knowledge' (instead of broaden), 'find interest' (instead of finds interest), 'stick to its main subjects' (incorrect pronoun agreement), and 'acheive' (spelling error). These lexical inaccuracies and non-standard collocations cause some occasional difficulty and hesitation for the reader, preventing the response from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer uses a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on basic patterns alongside attempts at complex sentences that are frequently faulty. There are noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation that can cause difficulty for the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues such as 'some students eager to learn' (missing verb), 'other think' (should be others think), 'if a student find interest... he will' (inconsistent agreement), and prepositional or structural awkwardness like 'in favour of view that student should' (missing article). Punctuation and article usage are also inconsistent across the text, reflecting frequent structural errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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