Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-09

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 6.5)

Their are differing views about whether students studying at university should merge their main interest of subject with other subjects or should focus and invest their time in studying certain subject for qualification. While mergeing all subjects in university will help the students to explore vast areas, I believe that studying about a certain subject for further qualifications will help to boost knowledge. My stances on both views and opinion are discussed below.

On the one hand, learning subjects outside their main field can provide university students with a border understanding of the world. This approach enables them to develop transferable skills, such as critical thinking, comminication and problem-solving approaches which are useful in various professions. For instance, a medical students who study psychology may gain a better understanding of patients' emotions and behaviour, leading to more effective communication and compassionate care. Furthermore, knowledge of technology or business can help graduates adapt to changing workplace demands. Therefore, exploring different areas of subject can improve students personal development and future career prospects.

On the other hand, some people believe that students should dedicate their mean time and energy to main qualifications. University courses often involve demanding examinations, pratical sessions and extensive assignments, all of which require consistent preparation. Dividing attention between too many subjects may prevent students from developing the specialised knowledge needed for their chosen careers. For instance, nursing students must thoroughly understand pharmacology, patient safety and clinical procedures before entering into professional practices.

In conclusion, although studying additional subjects offers several advantages. In my opinion, students should prioritise their main subjects that obtain a strong qualification. Exploring other fileds is beneficial as long as it does not interfere with their main academic responsibilities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses both views and gives a clear, consistent opinion: additional subjects can broaden students’ understanding, but the main qualification should take priority. The examples are relevant and help extend the discussion, particularly the medical student studying psychology and the nursing student’s need to master clinical knowledge. This supports the position rather than merely listing advantages and disadvantages. Some points, however, are developed more fully than others. The benefits of transferable skills and career adaptability are stated broadly, while the reasons for prioritising a qualification receive more specific explanation. To strengthen the response further, explain more precisely how students might balance wider learning with specialist study, and develop the broader claims with a concrete illustration.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall progression: the introduction presents the two views and the writer’s position, the body paragraphs discuss each side in turn, and the conclusion restates the preference. Paragraphing is appropriate, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the structure easy to follow. Examples are generally placed where they support the relevant point. Some linking is a little mechanical, and the final sentence introduces the qualification that exploring other fields is acceptable only if it does not interfere with core study without fully connecting this condition to the earlier discussion. Use a wider range of natural transitions and make links between claims and examples more explicit to create smoother progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The response uses an adequate range for the topic and attempts some less common or academic expressions, including “transferable skills,” “specialised knowledge,” “workplace demands,” and “compassionate care.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and meaning remains clear despite inaccuracies. However, several spelling and word-choice problems reduce precision: “border understanding” should be “broader understanding,” “comminication” should be “communication,” and “mean time” appears to mean “main time” or, more naturally, “primary focus.” Phrases such as “merge their main interest of subject” and “exploring different areas of subject” are also awkward. Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling and word forms carefully; this will make the vocabulary more natural and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “While merging all subjects …, I believe…” and a relative clause in “skills … which are useful in various professions.” Most sentences communicate their meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “Their are” should be “There are,” “a medical students” has an article–plural mismatch, and “students personal development” needs a possessive apostrophe. The conclusion fragment “although studying additional subjects offers several advantages” should be joined to the following main clause with a comma rather than ending as a sentence. There are also occasional problems with verb forms and sentence construction. Review agreement, articles, possessives, and punctuation, while continuing to practise complex sentences with clear main clauses.

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.