Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-05
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)
Some people believe that the only reason to learn a foreign language is to travel to or work in another country, while others argue that there are more reasons to learn a foreign language beside travelling and employment. Although travelling and employment are important motivations, I believe learning a foreign language teaches you more about the history, culture and provides personal benefits.
On the one hand, people believes that learning a foreign language to travel and work provides more benefits to them compared to people who don't know the native language of that country. Being able to communicate with native speakers make travelling and working more fun and enjoyable. Similarly, knowing the local language makes it easier to understand the rules and regulation, to read signs, to ask for help or to order food without external help from other people or translation app. For example, a person who travels to Japan for employment purpose is likely to receive more benefits than a person who can't speak or understand Japanese.
On the other hand, there are several reasons to learn a foreign language. Firstly, learning another language can help people understand foreign cultures and history of other countries more deeply. Furthermore, studying a foreign language can improve person's communication, memory and personality overall. For example: A person who learns Nepali language may get better understanding Nepali culture, history and tradition than simply learning to communicate in Nepali.
In conclusion, learning a foreign language is important and needed to travel and work but there are also other various reasons to learn. It provides personal and educational benefits as well.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, but the development is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention that language learning improves memory and personality, this point is not fully explained or supported with a concrete example. The example regarding the Nepali language is a good attempt but remains slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is elaborated upon with more depth and specific detail. Overall, the task is addressed, but the arguments could be more robustly extended to demonstrate a more sophisticated level of critical thinking.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Firstly', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader through your arguments. However, the flow between some sentences is slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between ideas is smoother. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences could be better connected to enhance the overall cohesion of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'motivations', 'communicate', and 'employment'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is some repetition of words like 'language' and 'people'. There are also minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'rules and regulation' (should be plural 'regulations') and 'external help' (which is slightly unnatural in this context). To achieve a higher score, aim to incorporate more precise, less common vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, and pay closer attention to word choice to ensure your writing sounds more natural and academic.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully use some complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'people believes' (subject-verb agreement error), 'improve person's communication' (missing article), and 'get better understanding Nepali culture' (missing preposition 'of'). These errors do not impede communication, but they are noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed accurately. Proofreading for these small but frequent slips will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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