Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-03

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)

As per the given information, it is true that many individual are learning a foreign language in order to travel or work in a foreign country. But it's not true, I also believe that learning foreign language can also help to live in their cultures.

As per my opinion, foreign exposure is very important in a person's life to learn about the country, their people and culture. However, many student from India are moving to abroad for further studies, and I have also seen that students in Europe also struggles due to language barrier. If the student, who is eager to move any European country, first thing they should focused on is the language, because it is necessary to learn their language to live easier life, to know about their people, to get better job and experience lot of things about the country. If the person move to Germany on work permit, in the beginning he/she would get more difficulties over there, and in the Germany, German language is very important for the communication in the society. If you don't know the foreign language, many people have missed lot of things about their country.

In India, people are more comfortable with their language in their states. Suppose, in Gujarat many people are comfortable in the Gujarati language, and if foreign tourist visits Gujarat than a person will have lot of problem in understanding their language. That person can also miss their culture and tradition which they follows.

In conclusion, as per my opinion learning foreign language to travel or work is not the only reason to learn foreign language, but they should also learn the language to experience lot of challenges.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views mentioned in the prompt, although the development of ideas is somewhat limited. You identify that language learning is useful for travel and work, and you provide your own opinion regarding cultural immersion. However, the arguments are repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the example regarding India and Gujarat is not fully connected to the prompt's focus on foreign language learning, making the argument less persuasive. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a distinct, well-supported point that directly answers the 'why' behind learning a language, rather than simply listing scenarios where language barriers occur.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow between sentences is often disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'However' and 'In conclusion', the transitions within paragraphs are sometimes abrupt. For example, the shift from discussing European students to German work permits is not smooth. Additionally, the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'If you don't know the foreign language, many people have missed lot of things about their country.' Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each sentence builds logically upon the previous one will help improve the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing and repeat words like 'language', 'country', and 'people' frequently. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'live easier life' (should be 'live an easier life') and 'experience lot of challenges' (which does not quite fit the context of the argument). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and collocations, and pay closer attention to article usage and pluralization, which are currently affecting the naturalness of your expression.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('many student from India are moving'), missing articles ('in the Germany'), and awkward phrasing ('If the student, who is eager to move any European country, first thing they should focused on is the language'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and correct sentence structure will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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