Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

It is often argued whether some university students want to give time on other subjects in addition to their main subjects.While some assume that it is important to give your whole attention for a qualification.I personally contend that students should study their specific course as well as different kinds of books.This essay will elaborate my viewpoints in the subsequent paragraph.

The primary reason to support my stance is that reading other books will help a lot in consuming knowledge.For instance,if a learner read books based on geography it will help a lot in travelling to other countries.On the other side,if a trainee reads scholars on history and internal matters of the country,then if he want to do CSS in future he will be able to do it because of the ocean of knowledge he have.Therefore, it is evident that reading books that are out of syllabus will also give benefit to student a lot.

Whereas, some students firmly believe that university undergraduates have already have burden on them .This is because they study many difficult subjects. They do not have much time to cover their relevant syllabus. A prime example of this is that, if a student is giving all efforts to one subject, he will become master in that subject.

In conclusion, although

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You state a clear personal view—that students should study their main course as well as other subjects—and you include a reason and examples, such as geography helping with travel and history supporting a future career in public service. You also present the opposing view that demanding university courses leave students little time. However, the discussion is only partial: the second view is briefly explained, and the essay ends with “although” rather than a completed conclusion, so your opinion is not brought together with both arguments. The response is 207 words, 43 words below the 250-word minimum; the eight words copied from the prompt are excluded. Develop both sides with fuller, relevant examples and finish with a complete conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has an identifiable introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and an attempted conclusion, so the reader can recognise the intended structure. Linking expressions such as “For instance,” “Whereas,” and “In conclusion” also signal relationships between ideas. However, progression is limited: the first body paragraph moves from travel to a possible CSS career without clearly explaining how these examples support the same point, while the opposing view is much shorter. Some transitions feel mechanical or do not connect ideas accurately, and the final “although” leaves the essay unfinished. To improve, organise each paragraph around one main claim, explain the example’s relevance, and use a complete concluding paragraph that synthesises your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonably varied set of topic-related vocabulary, including “qualification,” “undergraduates,” “relevant syllabus,” and “ocean of knowledge.” These choices show an effort to go beyond very basic wording, and the main ideas remain understandable. However, several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “give time on other subjects,” “consuming knowledge,” and “reads scholars on history.” “Internal matters of the country” is also unclear in this context. Aim for more accurate academic collocations and avoid phrases that sound translated or overly figurative. For example, you could describe students as “devoting time to additional subjects,” say that reading “broadens their knowledge,” and refer to “historical scholarship” or “books on national history.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including conditional structures such as “if a learner read books … it will help” and a contrast introduced by “Whereas.” This gives the response some structural variety, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, errors occur frequently in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries: “if a learner read” should be “if a learner reads,” “if he want” should be “if he wants,” and “the ocean of knowledge he have” should be “the … knowledge he has.” The opening also joins sentences without appropriate spacing or punctuation, and “although” is left incomplete. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and ensure every sentence is complete and correctly punctuated.

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