Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-01
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)
In by gone era, people did not gave importance to foreign languages and never tried to learn them. However, in the modern world many people are curious for learning foreign language some just learn for travel or business purposed and some just learn new language to improve their knowledge. Some people argue that the only reason for learning new language is in order to travel or to work in other country, while some says there are many more reasons to learn foreign language. In this essay I am going to discuss the above mentioned topics.
To commence with why some people believe that learning new language is for only travel or work purposes. There is no denying in saying that new language is learnt by someone to travel or to do job in other country. As for both reasons you need to learn that language and give I.E.L.T.S or any other exam to prove their capability. I believe that they might think that learning new language for any other purpose is wastage of time and money. Furthermore, in order to learn a new language one have to devote a lot of time and many people do not want to waste their time in learning new language for other reasons.
On the other hand, some says that there are various reasons to learn foreign language. Some people often learn new language in order to enhance their knowledge and explore new words and newer word meanings. Apart from it, some people are free and want to develop new skill in that leisure time so they decide to learn new language as they think that in future if they decide to go abroad then they will be benefited. Moreover, being able to speak more than one language gives an individual confidence and make him feel proud in society.
In conclusion, I personally believe that being able to speak more than one language is a great skill that no one can deny and it has many more properties apart from travelling or working in foreign country and I think that everyone should learn foreign language as it is essential in today's generation to be multi-linguistic.
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 response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the practical benefits of language for travel versus the cognitive and personal development benefits. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the point about 'I.E.L.T.S' is a bit narrow, and the argument regarding 'confidence' could be expanded with more depth. The position is consistent throughout, but the supporting arguments lack the level of detail required for a higher band score. Overall, it is a functional response that covers the requirements adequately.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. There is a basic progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'On the other hand', but these are sometimes used mechanically or with slight inaccuracies (e.g., 'Apart from it'). Referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences can occasionally feel a bit disjointed. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the essay follows a standard structure that makes the writer's argument easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'multi-linguistic' and 'devote', but there are also instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'In by gone era' (should be 'In a bygone era') and 'purposed' (should be 'purposes'). While the range is sufficient to communicate the message, the lack of precision and occasional errors in collocation prevent it from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary is functional but lacks sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('some says', 'one have to'), missing articles ('learn new language'), and awkward phrasing ('There is no denying in saying'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent and occur in both simple and complex sentences. The punctuation is generally acceptable, but the grammatical control is inconsistent, which is characteristic of the 5.5 to 6.0 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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