Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-24
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)
No one can deny that, learning a foreign language in order to travel or work in a foreign country is ubiquitous across the globe while others think that these are not only the reasons. It is important to admit that both views have their own benefits and detriments. In this essay I will discuss the possible reasons that support each view, and what benefits they bring to the society.
On the one hand, the pros of learning a new language is to gain better understanding of communication in a specified language. The individual will enjoy the work culture and explore more by knowing different local languages which has its benefits for many convincing reasons. To illustrate, one who is good with their local language will get the preference at the workplace In addition, the major benefit of this is not only the reason why someone should learn a foreign language it has other reasons also like one could be keen to learn foreign language and knowing the culture of the foreign country where they will learn about various new things and explore about the country. To exemplify, it is very exciting to learn new language while some people love to share their experiences and interact with other people.
On the other hand, despite the above argument, other people choose to believe that both the views have many drawbacks which cannot be ignored like when learning a foreign language for work and travel it will be spoken for limited time period. For example one who is traveling to Paris will speak French for limited time period only. However, while learning a foreign language there will be no seriousness to utilize it in daily life. For an instance if one who is speaking their mother tongue will not speak a foreign language at home.
In conclusion, I pen down highlighting that, it seems to me that both the aspects have its pros and cons and choosing the right fit is a good idea as per the convenience of the user. But, I believe one should not learn the foreign language only for work and travel however, one should bring the foreign language in habit so that we get the good outcome of it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you mention that learning a language has benefits beyond work and travel, the explanation is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the argument regarding 'work culture' is not fully explored, and the second body paragraph struggles to clearly articulate the 'drawbacks' of learning a language, leading to some confusion in the logic. To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on a distinct, well-supported argument rather than repeating general statements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'I pen down highlighting that' or 'For an instance if one who is speaking'. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the logical progression within paragraphs is hindered by repetitive phrasing. Using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in contrast') would help improve the flow of your arguments and make the connections between your points more explicit.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using words like 'ubiquitous', 'convincing', and 'detriments'. However, there are instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'bring the foreign language in habit' and 'get the good outcome of it'. These errors occasionally impede the precision of your message. To reach a higher band, focus on using collocations more accurately and incorporating more sophisticated vocabulary in a natural way, rather than relying on slightly forced academic-sounding phrases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, they often contain grammatical errors, such as 'one who is traveling to Paris will speak French for limited time period only' (missing articles) and 'it has other reasons also like one could be keen to learn foreign language' (run-on structure). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are errors in sentence boundaries and article usage throughout. Increasing the accuracy of your complex structures and paying closer attention to subject-verb agreement and articles will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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