Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-31

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)

Nowadays, learnig about new subjects besides the main subjects is becoming an area of debate among students. Some of them want to study new materials along with their major ones, whereas other pupils argue that it is more crucial to spend all of their time and attention to studying for a qualification. This essay will discuss why it is more important to give all of your time and focus as a student for a qualification rather than spending your time between unnecessary additional subjects.

On the one hand, learning about other study materials may be a fascinating way for students to amuse themselves and discover new aspects. Moreover,students may get more educated and gain a culture when learning a new additional subjects alongside their main study materials. For example, they may have the chance to learn a new language or discover another nation culture and history. However, this may also affect the students in a harmful way, because students may not have the adequate time for their main area of study, and a large amount of subjects at the same time may negatively affect their concentration. Therefore, students should focus more on the major materials rather than exploring new additional subjects.

On the other hand, pupils should focus more on studying for a qualification. By giving a sufficient time and enough amount of attention, students can achieve their desired results and the success which are they dreaming of.

In conclusion, some university students tend to discover and learn new subjects in addition to their main subjects, while others argued that it is more essential to give all their time and focus to studying for a qualification. This essay discussed why it is crucial for students to spend all of their time in studing the major study materials and focus on the qualification.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify both views: the possible benefits of studying additional subjects and the argument for concentrating on a qualification. You also make your preference clear in the introduction and conclusion. However, the discussion is uneven: the first view receives examples, such as learning a language or another nation’s history, while the case for focusing on a qualification is supported mainly by the general claim that students can achieve their desired results. The essay also presents the drawbacks of extra study more fully than its benefits, so the discussion of both positions is not balanced. Develop each side with a specific reason and example, and state your own view directly rather than framing the essay mainly as an explanation of why one side is more important.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable essay structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs beginning “On the one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion. These signposts help readers follow the broad direction of the argument. However, progression within the body is limited: the second viewpoint is only briefly explained, and the conclusion largely repeats the introduction rather than drawing together the discussion. Some linking is mechanical, and the shift from describing the benefits of additional study to arguing against it could be made more clearly. Build each body paragraph around one main claim, explain it, and connect it to a relevant example. Use referencing and transitions to show how each point relates to your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant academic vocabulary, including “qualification,” “concentration,” “desired results,” and “additional subjects,” and the reader can generally understand your meaning. However, the range is limited by repeated wording such as “study materials,” “subjects,” and “focus,” while several choices are unnatural or imprecise. For example, “gain a culture” does not clearly express the intended benefit, and “amuse themselves” suggests entertainment rather than intellectual interest. There are also spelling and word-form slips, including “learnig” and “studing.” Aim for more precise collocations and vary repeated terms; proofreading spelling and checking whether a phrase sounds natural in context would make the argument clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “whereas,” “because,” and “when,” and most of the main ideas remain understandable. However, complex structures are not consistently controlled. In “a new additional subjects,” the article and plural noun do not agree; “the success which are they dreaming of” has errors in agreement and clause structure; and “a sufficient time” uses an incorrect article pattern. There are also punctuation and spacing problems, such as “Moreover,students,” and inconsistent tense in the conclusion (“argued” after a present-tense introduction). Practise accurate noun phrases, subject–verb agreement, and relative clauses, then proofread each sentence for punctuation and tense consistency.

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