Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-08

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)

There are different views about why people learn foreign language. Some people think the only reason is to travel or find a job in another country. While opinions remain divided, I firmly contend that these are important reasons, there are many other benefits of learning a new language. It is clear that many people learn a foreign language for practical purposes. The fore most justification lies in the fact that first reason is travel. If a person visits another country, knowing the local language helps a lot. This is best illustrated by if someone goes to Japan and knows Japanese, they can easily talk to people, read signs, and enjoy the trip without any difficulty. Furthermore, the second reason is work. In today`s global world many companies want staff who can speak more than one language. In addition, a person who speaks both English and German has better chances to get a job in a European company. For these reasons, travel and work are strong motivations. However, I believe there are other important reasons too. Beyond this, it is important to recognize that learning a foreign language helps with education. Most university courses, scientific research, and online courses are in English. So students who know English can get better study opportunities. More importantly, learning a new language is good for the brain. Studies show that bilingual people have better memory and problem solving skills. For these reasons, I remain firmly convinced that travel and works are useful reasons, but they are not the only ones. In 2026, we live in a connected world. We talk to people online, make international friends, and access information from all over the world. So learning a foreign language is useful even if we never leave our own country. Therefore, everyone should consider learning a new language.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, such as the examples regarding travel to Japan and the cognitive benefits of bilingualism. However, the development of the 'other reasons' could be slightly more nuanced to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the arguments presented. To improve, ensure that the transition between the two viewpoints is more seamless and that the arguments are fully explored rather than just listed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore', 'In addition', and 'However', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. To move to a higher band, try to vary the cohesive devices further and ensure that the referencing between sentences is more sophisticated, avoiding repetitive sentence starters like 'For these reasons' which appears multiple times.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'bilingual', 'global world', and 'scientific research'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor issues with word choice, such as 'fore most' (should be 'foremost') and 'works' (should be 'work'). The language is functional but lacks the precision and variety of less common lexical items that would characterize a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'why people learn foreign language' (missing article), 'This is best illustrated by if someone' (awkward phrasing), and 'In 2026, we live' (tense inconsistency). Punctuation is generally acceptable, though there are minor slips. To improve, focus on article usage, subject-verb agreement, and refining complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free, as the current frequency of minor errors prevents a higher score.

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