Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23

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 people consider that learning a foreign language is only significant for work and travelling in a foreign country, while some believe that instead of these there are many other reasons to learn foreign language. In my opinion, learning foreign language can be beneficial for enhancing confidence and communication skills.

Few people think that foreign language can help in improving communication skills and confidence. To begin with, when people work in an international companies they get to interact with foreigners, so for them learning a foreign language can be essential to communicate in a better way. Moreover, learning foreign language can help them improving their vocabulary, fluency and pronunciation. Consequently, they do not face challenges in formal communication with their colleges and clients. Additionally, confidence is the key to survive in the professional world, so learning a foreign language can increase people's confidence. For instance, when students learn foreign language at their universities, they feel more confident to enter in professional field of their lives without any hesitation. From my perspective, foreign language is very essential to face the communication challenges at different places with confidence.

Some people argue that foreign language is only important for work and travelling for understanding colleges and locals. Furthermore, they think that foreign language is important for understanding each other at work place and during travelling it is important for communicating with locals for different purposes, if we have a translator we don't need to learn a new language. However, in my opinion, learning a new language is very beneficial to survive in this practical work without any restriction of language.

In conclusion, although some people believe that learning foreign language is only important for work and travelling, this essay agrees that foreign language help us to increase confidence and comm

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. The first body paragraph focuses on communication and confidence, which is relevant, but the second body paragraph is repetitive and lacks depth regarding the 'other reasons' for learning a language beyond work and travel. The conclusion is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which prevents a full summary of the position. To reach a higher band, ensure that arguments are fully extended with specific examples and that the conclusion is finished to provide a sense of closure.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'Consequently' to link ideas. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression is hindered by the incomplete conclusion. Referencing is generally clear, though some transitions feel mechanical. The abrupt ending significantly impacts the overall coherence of the piece. To improve, focus on ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that the conclusion effectively synthesizes the main points without being cut off.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is frequent repetition of phrases like 'learning a foreign language' and 'important for work and travelling'. While the meaning is clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little attempt to use less common or idiomatic language. To achieve a higher score, try to use synonyms and more sophisticated collocations to express ideas, such as 'linguistic proficiency' instead of 'learning a foreign language' or 'professional advancement' instead of 'work'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'in an international companies' (plural/article error), 'help them improving' (should be 'help them improve'), and 'enter in professional field' (preposition error). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, article usage, and the correct prepositional phrases following specific verbs.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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