Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-19
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)
To work in a foreign country or to travel is the only reason for learning a foreign language said by some people. Foreign language should'nt learned only for this reason said by others.I think we should learn foreign language for many purposes instead of just work or travel.In this essay,we'll discuss that foreign language is only useful for travel or work in foreign country or for more reasons.
Many people in the world should learn foreign language to travel in foreign country beacause if you go to foreign country like germany,you need to learn their language to travel in their cities or for talk to someone.If you should'nt know german,you're not able to understand that what people say and then you feel alone.e.g A Pakistani boy came to germany for travel but he does'nt know the german language,so he does'nt talk to anyone and his travel journey is flop. The other reason is that if you want to work in a foreign country ,you need to learn their language for talk to people.e.g If you work in a bakery shop,you'll need to know their country language beacause if someone said you to give me a water bottle but you does'nt understand them, then the owner will fire you from the job.
There are many reasons for learning a foreign language.If you want to go to abroad for study ,you;ll need first to learn their language.e.g Many Pakistanies should learn english for study to abroad ,they need to pass their ielts exam ,if they don't pass it they are not able to study in abroad.The other reason is that if a pakistani person know a foreign language ,so he will teach this language to his sons,relatives,brothers.e.g If you are just one in your family who knows foreign language,then you earn some respect from your relatives and all are proud of you.
I think foreign language is not only for the purpose of travel or to work in foreign country.It is also very good for many other things like to go to abroad for study or to teach your family this language. that's why i think foreign language is not only for travel or to work in a foreign country.
In conclusion,we say that the foreign language is important for many more reasons instead of just to travel or to work in a foreign country.
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 all parts of the task by discussing both views—that learning a foreign language is only for travel/work, and that there are other reasons—while also providing a clear personal position throughout the essay. The ideas are extended, such as mentioning studying abroad and cultural respect within a family, although some examples are slightly anecdotal and repetitive in structure. For instance, the argument about studying abroad is supported by a relevant personal perspective on taking the IELTS exam. While the development could be more sophisticated to reach higher bands, the prompt is fully engaged with, and the position is clear from the introduction to the conclusion, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, dividing the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion appropriately. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is basic, and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as pronoun use in 'if a pakistani person know a foreign language,so he will teach this language to his sons'. Paragraph transitions rely on simple repetition of ideas rather than smooth logical progression. Furthermore, spacing and punctuation errors around commas and periods hinder the flow of the text. Overall, the organizational structure meets the criteria for Band 5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating everyday ideas related to travel, work, and studying abroad. However, there are noticeable limitations and spelling or word-choice errors, such as 'should'nt', 'beacause', 'flop' (used informally to describe a journey), and 'Pakistanies'. Less common lexical items are attempted but often lack precision or natural collocation, such as 'talk to someone' or 'bakery shop'. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they restrict the lexical score to a Band 5, as the vocabulary remains repetitive and basic in places.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in punctuation, capitalization, and verb forms, such as 'Foreign language should'nt learned', 'If you should'nt know german,you're not able', and comma splices throughout the text. Complex structures are often faulty, and missing auxiliary verbs or incorrect tense usage appear regularly. Despite these errors, the meaning is generally retrievable, placing the grammatical performance firmly within the Band 5 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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