Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-04
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)
It is often argued that the only reason for learning a foreign language is in order to travel to or work in a foreign country. In recent years many people are interested in learning various languages spoken by other countries such as English, Japanese, Korean and so on as their preference.
On the one hand, some people argue that these are not the only reasons why someone should pursue a foreign language. The core belief is that many people are likely to go abroad for their studies or work. This is because in developing countries we can see lack of employment, facilities for the deserving candidate which forces many people to go abroad for their better career. For instance; Every year lots of citizens from every developing countries seek jobs in developed nations and to find a job they should need to know their native language to survive there. Therefore, most of the people learn foreign language to build a better future and to settle there.
On the other hand, others insist that people not only study foreign language for this reasons. Many individuals who thinks they are capable in a relevant sector they go to abroad for better future. Due to improper management from their countries they are forced to move and in their home country they receive certain amount of salary which is hard to cover their expenses. For example; In developed countries the demand of capable workers are high and they give visas to those kinds of people who are skilled and to settle their people should need to learn language.
In conclusion, many peoples master foreign language to stay in a certain country. Meanwhile, others learn to study and work for their better career and to live a dream life there.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt but fails to clearly distinguish between the two opposing views. The instructions ask you to discuss both views—that language is only for travel/work, and that there are other reasons—but your essay focuses almost exclusively on the reasons for moving abroad (work/study). You did not adequately explore the 'other' reasons for learning a language, such as cognitive benefits, cultural appreciation, or personal interest. Furthermore, your own opinion is not clearly stated or developed; the conclusion simply restates the points made in the body paragraphs rather than providing a clear personal stance as requested by the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression within paragraphs is weak. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'In conclusion', but the transitions between sentences are often repetitive or mechanical. For example, the repetition of 'better future' and 'go abroad' makes the flow feel circular. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the second paragraph where 'their native language' is used ambiguously. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a distinct, clear focus would improve the coherence significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'better future', 'go to abroad', and 'learn language'. There are also some collocation errors, such as 'receive certain amount of salary' (should be 'earn a certain salary') and 'master foreign language' (should be 'master a foreign language'). To improve, you should aim to use more precise academic vocabulary and avoid repeating the same phrases throughout the essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include article usage ('the demand of capable workers are high' should be 'is high'), subject-verb agreement ('many individuals who thinks' should be 'think'), and prepositional errors ('go to abroad' should be 'go abroad'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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