Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is to travel or work in a foreign country but others say that these are not only reasons why someone should learn a foreign language. The learning of a foreign language is a very challenging task. This essay will argue that the personal and academic reasons are quitely important .

Firstly we talk about the people who say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is to travel or to work in a foreign country they may be right beacuse in their families and friend circle most of them are learing a foreign language is to travel or to work in a foreign country. In my experience, the perception behind this fact is that individuals have the same reason for learning a foreign language because they want to work in abroad.

Secondly, others say that traveling and working in a foreign country are not the only reasons for learning a foreign language because many students move abroad to study for masters and phd. For international student a recognized language certificate is compulsory.

In my opinion, both views have merit, though there is a quite difference between them but i have agree with the individuals who say that traveling and working are not the only reason for learing a foreign language because I am also a student and want to pursue my masters in germant so the learning of german A1 level is compulsory for me to secure my admission in germany.

At the end , i can conclude that there are many other reasons for learning a foreign language irrespective of travel or work purposes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that foreign languages are learned solely for travel/work, and that other reasons exist—while also presenting a clear personal opinion. The student's position is stated in the introduction and reinforced in the conclusion and body paragraphs. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the first body paragraph struggles to articulate why some people hold the travel/work view clearly, relying on vague statements like 'most of them are learing a foreign language is to travel'. The second and fourth paragraphs touch upon studying abroad and language certificates for university admissions, which provide relevant supporting ideas. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but the arguments lack depth and extension. Therefore, a Band 6.0 is appropriate as it addresses all parts of the task with relevant ideas, though some are under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt at paragraphing, moving from an introduction to two body paragraphs discussing opposing views, a personal opinion paragraph, and a conclusion. However, cohesion is frequently faulty and mechanical. The student relies heavily on sequential transitions like 'Firstly we talk about the people', 'Secondly', and 'At the end , i can conclude', which feel formulaic rather than naturally integrated. Referencing and logical progression are occasionally obscured by run-on sentences and punctuation issues, such as missing commas or periods between clauses. For example, the sentence 'For international student a recognized language certificate is compulsory' lacks an article and needs tighter connection to the preceding idea. While the structure is discernible, the mechanical cohesive devices and occasional logical bumps place this at Band 5.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using topic-related terms such as 'foreign language', 'international student', 'language certificate', and 'pursue my masters'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, including 'quitely' instead of 'quite', 'learing' instead of 'learning', 'beacuse', 'abroad' used as 'in abroad', and 'germant' instead of 'Germany'. Less common lexical items are attempted but often marred by inaccuracies in collocation or spelling. While communication is not severely impeded and the meaning remains clear, the frequency of basic lexical and spelling slips prevents the response from reaching Band 6.0. Consequently, a Band 5.5 is awarded for a minimally adequate range that contains noticeable errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though control over complex structures is inconsistent. The writer attempts complex sentences using conjunctions and relative clauses, such as 'Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is to travel or work in a foreign country but others say that these are not only reasons...' However, these sentences often lack necessary punctuation, leading to run-on structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly missing articles ('For international student'), subject-verb agreement issues, and preposition misuse ('work in abroad'). Punctuation is weak, with spaces before commas and missing periods. Despite these frequent errors, the meaning is generally communicated without causing significant difficulty for the reader. This profile aligns well with the Band 5.0 descriptors, which highlight a limited range of structures and frequent errors.

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