Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-17

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 by some people that learning a foreign language is only for traveling abroad for work, because it is necessary to understand the language of the society where you live. Meanwhile, others argue that working abroad is not the only reason for learning a foreign language, because a lot of people learn the language to study. However, I believe that work is not the only reason to learn an international language, as people learn overseas languages to travel around the country, like on trips.

On the one hand, supporters of the state work is the unique reason to learn a language. As language is essential for survival in the society where you live. Take the example of US, millions of people from all over the world travel there for work, and they can all speak English to find a job and live. Thus, the supporters of this view support their findings by backing their analysis with valid arguments.

While on the other hand, advocates of the view job is not the only reason to learn an international language. As it is very important to understand the language if you travel abroad to study. For instance, in the Netherlands, it is expected that by the year 2028, the government will develop new laws and regulations about international students who travel there to study, and according to the law, students will must have to have language proficiency. Hence, it is proven that learning a new language does not have a single intention.

However, I believe that understanding a foreign language has multiple reasons. As most people learn an international language for tourism.

To sum up, even though there is a large number of people who learn a foreign language for work, I believe that people learn international languages for several reasons, like study abroad, tourism, and knowledge.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—that learning a foreign language is solely for work/travel abroad, and that other reasons exist—while also providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas tends to be repetitive and limited, particularly in the body paragraphs and the conclusion. For instance, the second body paragraph states that the US is an example where millions travel for work and speak English, but it lacks deep elaboration or strong supporting evidence. Similarly, the third paragraph introduces a specific example about the Netherlands, but the explanation remains somewhat vague and underdeveloped. The stance is maintained throughout, but the reasoning is simplistic and occasionally borders on tautological. Therefore, the performance aligns best with the Band 6 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, separating the introduction, the two body perspectives, the personal view, and the conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed to structure the text, such as 'On the one hand' and 'While on the other hand'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, the sentence 'As language is essential for survival in the society where you live' is an incomplete dependent clause punctuated as a full sentence, which disrupts the logical flow. Additionally, some transitional phrases are used awkwardly, such as starting sentences with 'As' or 'While on the other hand' in a way that disconnects them from the main clause. These issues reflect a Band 6 level.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'language proficiency', 'regulations', and 'international language'. However, there are noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. Phrases like 'supporters of the state work is the unique reason' and 'advocates of the view job is not the only reason' are grammatically awkward and unnatural. Furthermore, repeating basic words such as 'learn', 'language', and 'reason' throughout the essay indicates a restricted lexical flexibility. There are no major spelling errors that impede communication, but the vocabulary control places the response firmly within the Band 5.5 to 6.0 range, warranting a 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is inconsistent. A significant issue is the presence of sentence fragments, such as dependent clauses punctuated as complete sentences (e.g., 'As language is essential for survival in the society where you live' and 'As most people learn an international language for tourism'). Additionally, there are structural errors in verb phrases, such as 'students will must have to have language proficiency', which conflates modal verbs redundantly. While simple sentences are generally understandable and communication is rarely impeded, the frequent errors in complex sentence formation prevent the essay from reaching a higher band score.

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