Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-07

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 university students believed that there should be other subjects available to enhace skills and earnig to compliments the course subjects. While others argue that student should focuse on the main subjects.

Some academic participants want to learn about other subjects such as communication and languages, math and data skills, technology , money and buisness basics and health and wellbeing. These subjects are very useful in life and in career. For example communication skills is very important in every field and learning different languages give opportunity to work at internatioal level, math and data skills help an individual to solve the problems and decision making. At the age of 18, the students have new responsibilities, financial problems and stress so these skills are very helpfull to support studies and family. As a result, students who learn these subjects are better prepared to succeed at work and to suport themselves and their families.

Some students just focused on their course subjects because they want strong expertise in their own field. But they are less creative and less ability to mange money, pressure and time. They are just paying attention and time to their studies therefore they are less active. they don't take part into extra curricular activities may struggle with teamwork, confidence, and stress management.

In my opinion, students should learn both subjects but the advantages of other subjects with main course subjects are outweigh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and give a clear preference for combining broader learning with a main subject. The examples of communication, languages, data skills and financial responsibilities are relevant, and you explain how these could help students at work and at home. However, the view in favour of focusing on a qualification is less fully explained: you mention expertise, then mainly describe disadvantages of this approach rather than why students may prioritise it. Your opinion also ends abruptly (“the advantages … are outweigh”), so its reasoning is not fully developed. The response is 16 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to explain both sides and support your position. Develop the second view and complete your conclusion with a clear reason for your preference.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph supporting additional subjects, a paragraph on focusing on a qualification, and a concluding opinion. Examples generally follow the ideas they illustrate, and phrases such as “For example” and “As a result” help signal relationships. However, progression is uneven: the second body paragraph shifts from the benefits of specialisation to its possible drawbacks without clearly connecting these points, and the final sentence is incomplete. Some links are also mechanical or unclear, such as “therefore” before “they are less active.” Use a clearer topic sentence for each viewpoint, connect each example explicitly to its claim, and finish with a complete conclusion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “communication skills,” “financial problems,” “teamwork,” and “stress management,” which helps convey the main ideas. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate word choices, collocations and spelling errors make parts of the response difficult to read. Examples include “enhace skills,” “earnig to compliments,” “internatioal level,” and “mange money.” Some phrases are also imprecise, such as “academic participants” for university students and “other subjects available” for studying additional subjects. Aim for accurate, natural combinations and check spelling carefully. More precise terms such as “broaden their skills” and “develop expertise” would make your discussion clearer and more appropriate for an academic essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a sentence that explains how different skills may help students. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in sentence structure, verb forms, agreement, articles and punctuation. For example, “Some university students believed” does not fit the general present-tense discussion, while “communication skills is” has a subject–verb agreement error. The opening fragment beginning “While others argue” is not joined correctly to the preceding sentence, and the final clause, “the advantages … are outweigh,” is grammatically incomplete. These problems sometimes make relationships between ideas unclear. Practise building complete sentences, maintaining consistent present tense, and checking agreement and sentence boundaries.

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