Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-20

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 that, a foreign language is only learned for the purpose of travel or work in a foreign country. On the other hand, some people believe that the reason for learning a foreign language is not limited to travel or work. In my opinion, I believe that learning a foreign language could help in building self confidence, improve skills and protect us from certain diseases.

On one hand, it is argued that learning a different language is only for the purpose of work and travel. Being multilingual could provide lucrative career options. People can gain opportunities to work in diverse countries. For instance, there are numerous companies who have a criterion that employee should know different languages, therefore they can communicate with clients in diverse languages. Furthermore; while travelling, multilingualism can bring benefits to communicate better with country's natives and help to learn their culture.

On the other hand, some people believe that learning a language is not only related to work or travel, it can help people to enhance their skills and abilities. Learning a foreign language could help to build self confidence and provide problem solving skills. Moreover, it can help to make relationships internationally through various platforms. For example, people can make friends through social media, and can communicate through dissimilar websites. Furthermore, being multilingual will help to prevent diseases, like Alzheimer’s.

In my opinion, I acknowledge that learning a foreign language could help in building career and help in travelling. However, I believe that having knowledge about diverse languages could help in polishing skills and make us safe from diseases.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that a foreign language is only for work and travel, and that there are broader reasons—while also presenting a clear personal opinion throughout the essay. The student's ideas are extended and supported, such as mentioning career options, cultural understanding, self-confidence, and even the prevention of diseases like Alzheimer's. For example, the student writes, 'Being multilingual could provide lucrative career options' and explains how companies require language skills to communicate with clients. However, some arguments tend to generalise slightly, and the point regarding disease prevention is quite brief and under-developed. Despite this, all core task requirements are fulfilled, placing the response solidly within the Band 6.5 to 7.0 territory, comfortably earning a Band 6.5 for addressing the prompt adequately and maintaining a clear position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph-by-paragraph structure, including a distinct introduction, two body paragraphs addressing the opposing views, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices are used to signal progression, such as 'On one hand,' 'On the other hand,' 'Furthermore,' and 'Moreover.' However, the logical progression is sometimes hampered by mechanical or slightly repetitive transitions. For instance, the transition 'Furthermore;' is punctuated incorrectly with a semicolon followed by a comma in the phrase 'Furthermore; while travelling'. Additionally, referencing can occasionally feel rigid, and paragraphing could be managed with greater sophistication. Overall, the organization is clear and easy to follow, justifying a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'multilingual,' 'lucrative career options,' and 'multilingualism.' There are, however, instances of imprecise word choice and slight awkwardness, such as 'protect us from certain diseases' and 'make relationships internationally.' Spelling is generally accurate, but some collocations are slightly unnatural (e.g., 'building career' instead of 'building a career' or 'advancing a career'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message clearly without impeding communication, the presence of frequent minor inaccuracies prevents it from reaching a higher band, making a Band 6.0 appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like conditional and relative clauses (e.g., 'there are numerous companies who have a criterion that employee should know different languages'). There are, however, noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout the text, such as missing articles ('that employee should know' instead of 'that employees should know') and minor punctuation errors. Furthermore, the phrasing 'In my opinion, I believe that...' is redundant. Although these errors are present, they do not impede communication, and the writer maintains control over basic sentence structures while attempting more complex ones, aligning well with the Band 6.0 descriptors.

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