Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22

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 5.5)

Some individuals opine that travelling or working abroad are the only reasons behind learning a foreign language while others believe that these are not the main reasons behind that. Though, learning a foreign language may help to do well in different country but i prefer the latter view as learning a foreign language will be very beneficial to build confidence and other aspects.

One of the reasons behind learning a foreign language is to communicate with foreign people easily. Because not everyone can talk with a foreign individual with foreign language and learning different language helps us to improve our communication skills which boosts our confidence. Another reason is that it helps people to do better in career because in working life people has to communicate with different types of people to people. My uncle who is fluent in multiple foreign languages got promoted last year and became International Relations Manager in his office where he has to manage all types of international dealings which is a great setback for his career. Additionally learning a different language helps us to know more a more about different culture and activities which helps to enrich our knowledge. Last year a Russian guy called Oleg came to our college and talked to him quite fluently about their culture and society as i learned Russian language through Youtube.

Travelling and working abroad becomes smooth when someone knows that country language because it helps them to adjust with their community very easily. However, this skill also helps us in other ways too.

To sum up, in my opinion learning different language do not only help us to work or travel in other country but also helps us in various ways too.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the benefits of language learning for communication and career advancement are mentioned, the explanation regarding the 'setback' for the uncle's career is confusing and contradicts the intended point about professional success. The argument regarding cultural knowledge is relevant but could be more deeply explored. The response covers all parts of the prompt, but the supporting examples are occasionally underdeveloped or logically inconsistent, which limits the depth of the discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Additionally', 'However', and 'To sum up', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, although the connection between sentences in the second paragraph is occasionally strained by grammatical errors. The overall structure is coherent, and the paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints and the conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'opine' and 'enrich', but there are also instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'different types of people to people' and the misuse of 'setback' when 'boost' or 'advantage' was intended. Spelling is generally accurate, but the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on repetitive structures to convey meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'learning different language do not only help') and article usage errors (e.g., 'in working life people has to communicate'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is occasionally clunky, which impacts the flow. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they are frequent enough to keep the score in the mid-range.

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