Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-28

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)

Some university students willing to study other subjects in addition to their primary subjects while others believe that it is more significant to spend their all time and focus to studying for a qualification.In my opinion, studnets should lear about other subjects with thier core ones is beneficial because it helps to enhance their soft skills with main subjects also it can build critical thinking and problem solving skills.

One of the main reasons is that students can spend their time on soft skills subjects which plays a vital role in practical workplaces and corporate job sectors.Companies hire mostly those students which have excellent communication skills, presentation skills and problem solving skills.Thise subjects can create students mindset of creative thinking which can beneficial for their achieving their goals.For instance, Chinese Governemnt introduce the law for chinese schools they must add extra subjects which can improve their soft skills.Due to this,it can built confidence and have suffcient knowledge of various subjects.

In contrast,most people argues that it should consume their all time and attention to studying for a qualification.Students distract rapidly with any invovement of other subjects out of their syllabus though they dont wanna add extra subjects which can change their focus.Although courses are wider and studnets have not suficient time to complete their syllabus,they spend their full time and attention dedicated to their main subjects from which they qualify and promote to higher education classes.However, students don't have much practical knowledge about their soft skills due to lack of interest in extra curricular subjects and face difficulty in practical life.

In conclusion,Although students should spend their full time and attention to studying for a +qualification,I belive that they must learn about other subjects with their core subjects because it can ehance their critical thinking and have much ability in problem solving skills that can be benficial in practical life and workplaces.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and state a clear preference for studying additional subjects, linking them to soft skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The contrast paragraph also explains why some students prioritise their qualification, including concern about distraction and a demanding syllabus. However, these points are mostly asserted rather than developed: the claim about Chinese schools is vague and does not clearly show how the policy supports your argument, while the opposing view could be explained with a more specific consequence of focusing on a degree. Your conclusion repeats your position but briefly appears to endorse giving all time to the qualification before reversing direction. Make your stance consistent and support each main idea with a clearer explanation or relevant example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “In contrast” and “In conclusion” help signal the discussion, and the reader can generally follow the main argument. However, progression within paragraphs is uneven, and several ideas are joined without clear relationships. For example, the Chinese-government example moves quickly from a law to confidence and knowledge without explaining the connection. Linking phrases such as “Although” and “However” are sometimes used in ways that make the logic difficult to follow, particularly in the final paragraph. Improve cohesion by giving each paragraph a clear sequence—claim, explanation, example—and use pronouns and connectors only when their references and logical roles are clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “communication skills,” “critical thinking,” “qualification,” and “practical workplaces.” These terms help convey the central ideas, and some attempts at more specific language are evident. However, the range is limited by repeated wording such as “subjects,” “skills,” and “time and attention,” while inaccurate word choice and collocation sometimes make meaning less clear. Examples include “students mindset,” “achieving their goals,” and “built confidence”; spelling errors such as “studnets,” “suficient,” and “benficial” also occur. Work on accurate collocations and proofreading, and vary repeated terms with precise alternatives. This would make your ideas easier to understand and more natural without changing their meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning with “because,” “although,” and “which.” This shows an effort to express relationships between ideas, but complex sentences are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some passages difficult to read. For example, “Some university students willing to study” lacks a finite verb, and “most people argues” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in the run-on sequence beginning “Companies hire mostly those students.” Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, checking agreement and verb forms, and separating independent clauses with appropriate punctuation. Aim for accurate control before adding more complex structures.

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