Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-12
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 6.5)
Some people believe that the main reason for learning a foreign language is to travel or work in another country. However, others argue that there are several other important reasons for learning another language. This essay will discuss both views and explain why I believe that foreign language have many benefits beyond travelling and employment.
On the one hand, learning a foreign language is particularly useful for people who want to travel or work abroad. When people visit another country, knowing the local language can make communication much easier. For example, tourists can ask for directions, order food and communicate with local people without depending completely on translation apps. Similarly, people who work in a foreign country need to communicate with their colleagues and customers, so language skills can help them perform their jobs more effectively. Therefore, travelling and working are certainly important reasons for learning a foreign language.
On the other hand, there are many other reasons to learn a foreign language. Firstly, it can help people understand the culture and traditions of other countries. By learning a language, people can understand books, films and other forms of media in their original form. Secondly, learning another language can improve communication with foreign friends and people from different backgrounds. It can also be useful for students who want to study information or research that is available in another language. For instance, a student who learns German may be able to access German books and educational materials that are not available in their own language.
In my opinion, travelling and working are important reasons, but they are not the only purposes of learning a foreign language. It can also improve cultural understanding, education and communication between people from different countries.
In conclusion, although foreign languages are very useful for travelling and working abroad, I believe that people can learn them for many other valuable reasons, including education, cultural knowledge and better communication.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically extended, such as the discussion on cultural understanding and academic research. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development of ideas could be more nuanced; for example, the argument regarding 'cultural understanding' could be linked more explicitly to the concept of global citizenship or cognitive benefits to provide a more sophisticated level of analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Similarly', and 'Firstly' is effective and natural. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. The flow between sentences is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is clear throughout the text. The structure is well-managed, making the essay easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses a range of topic-specific terms like 'educational materials', 'original form', and 'communication'. While the vocabulary is accurate and conveys meaning clearly, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate the score to an 8.0. The word choices are generally safe and functional rather than precise or idiomatic.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is generally good control over grammar and punctuation. However, there is a minor error in the introduction: 'foreign language have' should be 'foreign languages have'. Despite this, the majority of sentences are error-free, and the grammatical control is consistent. The range of structures is adequate, though more variety in complex sentence forms (such as conditional clauses or passive voice) would further strengthen this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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