Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-25

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is in order to travel to or work in a foreign country. Others say that these are not the only reasons why someone should learn a foreign language.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 7.5)

The debate on whether the authorities should allocate funds merely in the public services rather than financing the recreational sector, is a contentious one. Although investing in services for the citizens is indispensable, the significance of the entertainment industry cannot be overlooked at the same time.

Many driving factors are associated with the notion of prioritizing public services over entertainment sector, such as universal access to basic amenities and overall development of the nation. The dominant reason is that public welfare schemes such as education, healthcare and transport, require substantial funds from the government. Since they are of utmost importance to improve the overall quality of the life of the netizens, the government should first focus on development of related infrastructure. This ensures that all the basic amenities are available to the citizens along with improved public health and safety which results in development of the nation at multiple levels.

Despite these reasons, there are some demographics that argue that apart from public services schemes, the authorities should give considerable attention to the entertainment and recreational activities. The contributing factor is that entertainment is considerably vital for mental well being in today’s society where seclusion is the norm. For instance, music helps to reduce anxiety and depression in the society by promoting happiness and social cohesion. Furthermore, since a society preserves its cultural heritage through its art, music and theatre; it is equally important for the government to invest to preserve those art forms for the coming generations.

There is no denial that public services provide crucial basic amenities and are paramount for a good quality of life, however, recreational activities are the cathartic outlet for stress. Therefore, a nuanced approach which supports both maintenance of public services and at the same time keeps the recreation spirit alive is the need of the hour.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for a discussion on the reasons for learning a foreign language (travel/work vs. other reasons). However, the student has written an essay about government spending on public services versus the entertainment sector. Because the response fails to address the actual task prompt, it cannot be awarded a passing score for task achievement. While the essay itself is well-structured and coherent, it does not answer the question asked, which is a fundamental requirement for Task 2.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

Despite being off-topic, the essay demonstrates a high level of coherence and cohesion. The response is logically organized into clear paragraphs with a logical progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Furthermore', and 'Therefore' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is logical, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The flow of the argument is smooth and easy to follow, indicating a strong grasp of how to structure an academic essay, even though the content is irrelevant to the prompt.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student displays a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'indispensable', 'contentious', 'amenities', 'seclusion', and 'cathartic' appropriately. The word choice is generally precise and demonstrates an awareness of academic style. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication. The vocabulary is varied and sophisticated enough to support a higher band score, showing that the student has a solid command of English lexis, even if the application to the specific prompt is entirely absent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response exhibits a good variety of complex sentence structures, including conditional clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'Since they are of utmost importance...'). The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors. Punctuation is used correctly to manage complex sentences. The majority of the sentences are error-free, and the control over grammatical structures is consistent throughout the text. The student demonstrates the ability to use a range of structures with flexibility and accuracy, which is characteristic of higher band levels.

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