Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-29

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 want to explore other subjects with their main subjects. Others believe it is more important to focus on studying for a qualification. This eassay will discuss both point of views and i will give my opinion as well.

Initially, some students think that they should learn and explore subjects other than their main subjects because they think that degree is not enough for life. They need to gain more knowledge for self writing in exams and that will help them in future in a way that when they will need a job that knowledge will help them to pass interviews and also if they want to start their own business then they can do that. For example, if a law student wants to start a business after the degree then he can implement the things he learnt from other subjects.

On the other hand, the students who prefer to focus on their main subjects. They think that only marks and their percentage is important. Moreover, they do not want to learn anything other than their main subjects because they think it is a waste of time and they think that just the qualification on their CV is important so they usually do not bother to learn any other subjects that are not relevent to their main subjects.

In conclusion, my opinion is that every student should learn other subjects to increase their knowledge to perform better in exams and this will change their prespectives on understanding of life and improve their IQ as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both views and state a clear preference for learning beyond a main subject, so the response is relevant to the question. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the benefits are mainly linked to interviews and starting a business, while the opposing view is presented largely as students caring about marks and seeing other study as a waste of time. Explain why concentrating on a qualification can be valuable, such as building specialist expertise or meeting demanding course requirements, and support each side with a fuller example. Your conclusion repeats the preference but does not weigh the two arguments. The response is 247 words, three words below the required minimum; the 10 words copied from the prompt are excluded from the count.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. The signposts “Initially,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the basic direction. However, progression within paragraphs is limited, and several ideas are joined in long chains with repeated “and” and “they think,” making relationships between points less clear. The second view also begins with a sentence fragment (“On the other hand, the students who prefer to focus on their main subjects.”), which interrupts the flow. Develop each paragraph around a clear main point, then explain and illustrate it; use referencing and linking phrases more selectively to avoid repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “qualification,” “main subjects,” “interviews,” and “CV.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “implement the things he learnt.” However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, which reduces precision: “self writing in exams” does not clearly express the intended benefit, and “change their prespectives on understanding of life” is difficult to interpret. Spelling errors such as “eassay,” “relevent,” and “prespectives” are noticeable. Aim for accurate academic collocations and check spelling; for example, describe gaining transferable skills or broadening one’s perspective rather than relying on vague wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional example beginning “if a law student wants to start a business.” Most of the intended meaning can be understood, but control is uneven. The opening has a sentence fragment (“On the other hand, the students who prefer to focus on their main subjects”), and the introduction shifts awkwardly between “This essay” and “I.” In “when they will need a job,” the future form after “when” is not appropriate; use “when they need a job.” There are also errors in articles and sentence construction, as in “they think that degree is not enough for life.” Practise complete sentence structures and consistent tense and pronoun use while retaining your attempts at complex sentences.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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