Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-16

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 7.0)

Since the adoption of new education system allows students to have elective subjects alongside their main subjects people had debated over which approach is better. I strongly believe that having elective subjects helps students to expand their knowledge and lay a broader foundation.

It is a fact that core subjects carry around the most weightage in any field of study. It is very natural for people to ignore other elective subjects in order to focus on more important subjects that will actually directly impact that grade report and their overall course progression. Additional subjects would act as a distraction from the bigger picture. For instance, if I am doing bachelors in chemical engineering it is obvious that the core subjects would be very difficult and demand me to study and practice different analytical approaches and derivations. If I add another subject like PYTHON coding which is also useful but very difficult for someone who is using it for the first time then perhaps my performance in my core subject would get hampered. This explains why electives might distract an individual from his qualification.

On the other hand, it can be argued that a degree spans around a period of 3 to 4 years in which there is plenty of buffer time where students are free from studies during their semester breaks. During this time students can take up elective courses that can expand their knowledge and they might even help in their core subjects. For example, I had a long semester break lasting for 2 months and I was not eligible for any internships so I decided to take up a NPTEL course on the working of MATLAB, later when new semester began I was asked to work on a heat transfer project using a wide range of softwares which included ASPEN PLUS, JAVA PROGRAMMING and MATLAB. Using the knowledge I had acquired during my semester break on MATLAB I was able to finish the project with such an ease and before any of my other classmates could. From this we can understand how an elective subject not only increase your knowledge but also help your main subjects as well.

In conclusion, elective subjects might take additional time and attention and focusing on your main subject help achieve the intended qualification. I strongly believe that dedicating some of the time towards optional subjects can increase the knowledge of an individual but also help with the main subjects if chosen wisely.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

You address both views and maintain a clear opinion: electives can broaden knowledge and support a student’s main subject when chosen wisely. The discussion of the qualification-focused view is relevant, and the chemical-engineering/Python example explains how an additional demanding course could compete with core study. Your MATLAB project example then gives specific support for the benefits of electives. This meets the task well, with ideas extended and supported. To strengthen the response further, develop the first view beyond the possibility of distraction—for example, explain why students may reasonably prioritise qualification requirements or how they can manage competing demands. The claim that semester breaks provide “plenty of buffer time” is also somewhat general and could be qualified.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear progression: an introduction states your position, two body paragraphs present contrasting views, and the conclusion restates your judgement. Transitions such as “On the other hand,” “For instance,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the argument, while the examples are placed in the relevant paragraphs. This is a coherent and logically organised response. Some linking is more explicit than necessary, however, and phrases such as “This explains why” and “From this we can understand” announce conclusions that the preceding examples already make clear. The long example in the second body paragraph also carries several details in one sequence. Tighter sentence grouping and more varied, less signposted links would make the progression feel more fluent.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of topic vocabulary, including “elective subjects,” “core subjects,” “course progression,” “analytical approaches,” and “qualification.” These choices communicate the argument clearly, and terms such as “semester break” and “heat transfer project” make the examples specific. There are also some imprecise or unnatural combinations that limit flexibility: “carry around the most weightage,” “lay a broader foundation,” and “finish the project with such an ease” could be expressed more naturally. Capitalising “PYTHON” and “JAVA PROGRAMMING” is unnecessary in this context. Aim for accurate academic collocations and consistent, natural register; this would build on your adequate range and make the wording more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including conditional reasoning (“If I add another subject… then perhaps…”) and relative clauses (“which is also useful”). Meaning remains clear throughout. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries. For example, “Since the adoption of new education system” needs an article, and “an elective subject not only increase… but also help” has subject–verb agreement errors. The opening sentence also needs punctuation after “main subjects” to separate the introductory clause from the main clause. In the conclusion, “focusing on your main subject help” likewise needs agreement. Review these patterns and proofread long sentences; more consistent accuracy would strengthen the range you already attempt.

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.