Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-12
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 5.0)
There is a saying about learning the foreign language in order to travel to or work in a foreign country, which useful to communicate with the county people. It is an essential thing to learn the language so as to be able to survive in the country.
People also think that not only to learn the language for working or travel but to also make it possible for decision making any situation by understanding the communications happening. As during the travel we might need to ask the way to the people out there and to know the places to visit and other things like restaurants, hotels, etc. for food and stay. Thus, it can help make the travel enjoyable and fun.
On the other hand, in work places we need to communicate and write in their language so for that purpose we should learn their language to make sure the task assigned is understood and we make an accurate decision to make the task perfectly done. When a person is unaware of the language spoken by the colleagues they might feel unwanted or might me ignored because of not able to communicate well with them. It might also affect the mental peace of the one at work place and might cause the work related stress too.
So, learning new language might take time but it is essential to learn the foreign language to make the life easy at work place and also during the travel period in the country an individual is visiting to.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the two views regarding the reasons for learning a foreign language (travel and work) and provides some personal perspective. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the second and third paragraphs blend travel and work themes slightly without fully articulating distinct, well-supported arguments. The position is discernible, but ideas would benefit from greater extension and specific examples rather than general assertions. Despite these limitations, all parts of the prompt are touched upon, satisfying the requirements for a mid-level band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into four paragraphs, showing an attempt at a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing different aspects, and a conclusion marked by 'On the other hand' and 'So'. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward transitions and confusing sentence structures. For example, the third paragraph uses 'On the other hand', but the preceding paragraph actually focused on travel while the third discusses work, making the signposting somewhat misleading. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'the county people' and 'the people out there', which impacts the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for conveying basic ideas, but it lacks precision and range. The writer relies heavily on simple and repetitive phrasing, such as 'learn the language', 'foreign language', and 'travel to or work in a foreign country'. There are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'decision making any situation' instead of 'decision-making in any situation' and 'the county people' instead of 'local people'. Less common lexical items are attempted ('survive', 'mental peace'), but inaccuracies in collocation and form prevent the score from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures frequently result in grammatical errors. Examples include fragment-like phrasing and incorrect prepositions, such as 'There is a saying about learning the foreign language in order to... which useful to communicate' (missing verb and article issues) and 'visiting to' instead of 'visiting'. Errors in punctuation and verb forms occur frequently throughout the text ('might me ignored', 'learning new language might take time'), which occasionally cause strain for the reader, although basic meaning generally remains intelligible.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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