Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-27

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 6.0)

While some argue that the sole incentive behind learning a foreign language is visiting or finding a job in another country, others say there are other motives that run deeper. Although foreign language makes it easier to communicate in a different country and enables you to ace job interviews, I firmly believe keeping one's brain healthy also plausible reason to learn another language.

Those who adopt the two reasons view tend to only look at two facts. Learning a second language is indeed vital to be able to have an effective connection with people if you move to a new country as people to tend sympathize with those who speak their language. For instance, if you talk to a Mexican in Spanish, it is highly likely that you will have a more genuine conversation because will able to see how much effort you have put to learn the language. Furthermore, driven by the idea that the building block of any team is efficient communication through a clear language. Thus, a very decisive factor in having a successful job interview is the language proficiency. Despite the compelling arguments, this view fails to deeper than the shallow incentives of traveling to and working in a foreign country.

A more profound analysis of the matter at hand would suggest that learning another language could be initiated by a desire to keep our brain healthy for the longest period of time. Some studies concluded that learning a foreign language creates more neural connection between our brain cells which not only does it enhance our ability to retrieve information, but also keeps diseases such Alzheimer at bay. Indeed, if you look around you, those who speak at least two languages tend have

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the essay is incomplete, as it cuts off abruptly in the final paragraph. Because the conclusion is missing and the final point is left unfinished, the development of ideas is significantly hindered. While the initial position is clear and the arguments regarding travel, work, and cognitive health are relevant, the lack of a proper conclusion and the incomplete final sentence prevent the response from fully developing the ideas as required for higher bands.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay uses some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Thus', and 'Despite the compelling arguments' to link ideas. Paragraphing is attempted, but the abrupt ending disrupts the logical flow of the text. Referencing is generally clear, but the sudden termination of the final paragraph makes the overall progression of the argument feel incomplete. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear concluding sentence and that the essay as a whole reaches a logical end point.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some good collocations like 'sole incentive', 'language proficiency', and 'neural connection'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'plausible reason' (missing 'a') and 'tend sympathize' (missing 'to'). The range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band. Expanding the range of academic vocabulary and ensuring correct article usage would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'as people to tend sympathize' (incorrect verb form), 'will able to see' (missing auxiliary), and 'tend have' (missing 'to'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. A greater focus on proofreading for missing words and verb agreement would be beneficial.

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

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