Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-19
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)
The trend of increase in range of subjects learning combined is now becoming more populer in many university studetns. Some of the students wants to learn additional subjects along with thier main subject and some belive they should learn their major subjects with more attention and give more time.
Well, I personally believe that learning some extra subjects along with you major university subjects is important and helpfull as well. Learning some additional subjects related to your field of study, financial management, time management and self improvement helps alot in professional life.
Students who believe they should learn some additional subjects are like me, they believe so because they know how these addional subjects can help them improve their lives along with univesity education. They believe if they learn these things along with thier university life they can easily compete thier colleagues. They know it's improtant to learn these things, if they start late that can affect their professional life.
On the otherside, students who believe that they should give all the time to their university studies they think as if they get higher CGPA on thier degree that can help them to compete thier colleagues. They think they can get job earlier than a person with low CGPA and higher professional skills, They are wrong here. As a result, They can get higher CGPA and earlier placement but they can't compete easily. They have to learn additional skills/ subjects to get better.
To sum it up, I'll say that those students who think they can learn addional skill after their univeristy they should be advised to do that along thier studies. Universites should conduct consultation session for students to do that.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You address both views and state a clear opinion: you support learning additional subjects alongside a degree, while explaining that some students prioritise their CGPA and qualification. The discussion is relevant, and the point that extra skills may help students compete professionally gives your position a practical basis. However, the two sides are not developed equally. The benefits of broader learning are described in general terms, and the opposing view is mainly presented as a belief about grades and employment before being dismissed as “wrong.” Explain more fully why students value focused study and give a specific example to support your comparison. Your conclusion repeats your preference and adds a recommendation for universities, but that recommendation could be linked more clearly to the reasons in the essay.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a statement of your view, paragraphs discussing each position, and a conclusion. This makes the main line of argument understandable. You also use signposting such as “On the other side” and “To sum it up.” However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “Students who believe… are like me” does not clearly introduce the reasons for their view, and the shift from discussing CGPA to saying “They are wrong here” is abrupt. The conclusion’s recommendation about consultation sessions is also not fully prepared by the preceding discussion. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each example or consequence explicitly to the point it supports.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use vocabulary relevant to education and employment, including “qualification,” “professional life,” “CGPA,” and “professional skills,” so the reader can follow the topic. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems make the writing less natural. Phrases such as “trend of increase in range of subjects learning combined” and “compete their colleagues” are difficult or awkward to interpret. Repeated use of “learn,” “subjects,” and “believe” also limits variety. Work on accurate academic collocations and check spelling carefully; for instance, “additional subjects” and “compete with their peers” express your intended meanings more naturally. More precise vocabulary would help you explain the benefits and drawbacks without relying on broad claims.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “if they start late that can affect their professional life” and a contrast between students with high grades and stronger skills. These attempts show some range, and the main ideas are generally understandable. However, errors in agreement, articles, pronouns, and sentence boundaries recur. For example, “Some of the students wants” should use a plural verb, while “along with you major” needs a possessive form. In “They think they can get job earlier,” an article is needed, and the long sentence beginning “They think they can get higher CGPA…” needs clearer punctuation and sentence structure. Review subject–verb agreement and article use, then edit complex sentences to ensure each clause is clearly connected.
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