Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-22

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)

Many students feel urge to study various others subjects non realted to their core study program due to interests in other fields of study.

On one hand, studying the subjects that are not related to main subjects list can affect the students focus and dedication towards the main course . It can also divert the interest in the main subjects if a student would keep on studying the other subjects it might also impact the grades and overall performance due to multiple category subjects. For instance, if a student of finance starts studying the the non finance realted subjects like marketing or crm realted subjects it can severly diverts the intersest of student due to the possible clash of different fields where finance requires focus and mathematical knowledge while marketing is a fun and practical subject.

On the other hand, studying multiple subjects can be beneficial for students as it can increase the knowledge of students and can provide unique skills and new paths for their better academic journey. Another, major benefit could be positive impact on the self development for example, a student who will study different languages alongside the basic communiation subjects will hold much higher value and would be able to speak multiple languages.

I firmly believe that students studying new subjects are great for their personal as well as academic development. Students should be encouraged to read new subjects as long as their main course or qualification is not affected.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and state a clear opinion: you recognise that extra subjects may distract from a qualification, while arguing that they can support personal and academic development. The examples about a finance student and learning languages are relevant, but they are brief and do not fully explain the consequences or show how students can balance these priorities. The first view is developed more clearly than the benefits of studying other subjects, which are mostly asserted rather than supported. The response is also six words below the required minimum, so it does not fully meet the task’s length requirement. To strengthen the response, explain each view in more depth and add a specific example or consequence for your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, and a concluding opinion. Signposting such as “On one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “I firmly believe” helps readers follow the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear, particularly in the first body paragraph, where several consequences are packed into one long sentence. The transition “Another, major benefit” is awkwardly punctuated, and some references, such as “the basic communication subjects,” are not fully clear. Use shorter sentences to separate claims from examples, and connect each example explicitly to the point it supports. This would make the organisation more consistently smooth rather than relying mainly on paragraph-level signposts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “core study program,” “dedication,” “overall performance,” “self development,” and “qualification.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and there is an attempt to use more specific terms in the finance and language-learning examples. However, spelling errors and imprecise or repetitive phrasing are noticeable, including “realted,” “severly,” and repeated use of “subjects.” Some combinations are also unnatural, such as “subjects main subjects list” and “higher value” for a student’s language ability. Aim for accurate spelling and more natural collocations, and vary repeated words with terms such as “courses,” “disciplines,” or “areas of study.” This would make the vocabulary more precise and easier to read.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures such as “if a student would keep on studying” and a relative clause in “a student who will study different languages.” These attempts show some range, but several sentences are difficult to control. For example, the first body paragraph joins multiple ideas with “if” without a clear main-clause structure, while “it can severly diverts” has a subject–verb agreement error. There are also article and plural issues, as in “the students focus,” and punctuation spacing is inconsistent. Practise building complex sentences around one clear main clause, and check agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries during editing. More accurate control of these structures would improve clarity.

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