Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-14

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)

There has been an ongoig debate on whether students should focus entirely on their major subjects or they should expose themselves to interdisciplinary courses. From my perspective, the latter opinion is quite advantageous when it comes to win the race in the advanced world.

To begin with, I believe that besides studying the university course, learners should demonstrate a keen interest in learning other programs. For instance, plant science students should not only focus on their proposed consortium but they should also be enrolled in other short courses, such as machine learning, Artificial Intelligence or even basic computer programs. Consequently, such folks are more likely to succeed in every aspect of their professional life. Moreover, learning and observing programs other than their subjects improve general knowledge, and better understanding of the wolrd. Furthermore, another view point is that, students should enroll themselves in different software houses to improve their skills regardless of their major fields. Thus, such students are more likely to get employment opportunities than the others.

On the other hand, while numerous people argue that univeristy students should also engage themselves in other programs, others believe that focusing entirely on a single major is more beneficial. No doubt, the students who spent their entire degree in understanding one subject are more likely to become specialized in their propsed fields. To illustrate, natural science students do their research, thesis, and lab works on a particular topic and become experts. Such as Elbert Einstien, whose main interest was natural sciences, so he gave all his theories in that subject and became a renowned scientist. Furthermore, many students believe that if they put all of their concentration on their course, they will be able to get better grades and advanced knowledge in their fields. However, they often lack essential skills and technological understanding of other topics of contemporary world which are of great significance at the moment.

To sum up, although giving all the time and dedication to study for a qualification, students should learn other subjects in order to gain advanced knowledge.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You discuss both positions and make your preference clear in the introduction and conclusion: you favour learning beyond a major. Relevant examples include plant science students learning machine learning and Einstein’s specialisation. However, the two views are not developed equally. The benefits of interdisciplinary study are explained through employability and broader knowledge, while the case for concentrating on one qualification is mainly described as gaining expertise and better grades. The Einstein example is also not fully connected to why students should devote all their time to one subject. To strengthen the response, explain the trade-off more precisely—for example, how limited study time can affect depth of knowledge—and develop examples that directly support each side before reaching your conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “To begin with,” “On the other hand,” and “To sum up” helps readers follow the discussion. Within paragraphs, however, some links feel mechanical or do not show the relationship between ideas clearly. “Furthermore, another view point” introduces a point that is not clearly distinct from the preceding one, and “Such as Elbert Einstien” is an awkward fragment after the example about research. The conclusion also moves quickly from acknowledging the qualification-focused view to restating your preference. Use fewer formulaic transitions and connect each example explicitly to the claim it supports; this would make progression smoother and referencing clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “interdisciplinary courses,” “specialized,” “employment opportunities,” and “technological understanding.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “win the race in the advanced world,” “proposed consortium,” and “gave all his theories.” Spelling errors, including “ongoig,” “wolrd,” “univeristy,” and “Einstein,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, natural academic phrasing rather than elevated expressions that do not fit the context. For example, describe students as gaining a “competitive advantage” and say that a scientist “developed” or “proposed” theories.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including contrast clauses (“although…”) and conditional structures (“if they put all of their concentration…”). Most sentences remain understandable, and errors rarely obscure your meaning. Some grammatical patterns nevertheless need closer control. In “learning and observing programs … improve,” the subject is unclear and the verb agreement is awkward; “students who spent their entire degree” also shifts tense in a general statement. The sentence beginning “Such as Elbert…” is incomplete, and “students should not only focus … but they should also be enrolled” has an unbalanced construction. Practise building complete sentences around examples, maintaining consistent tense for general claims, and using parallel forms after “not only…but also.”

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.