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 the only reason to learn a foreign language is to travel abroad or work in a foreign country. It is also reflected that, being multilingual is not only for the travel it has more advantages. However, in my opinion learning a foreign language has numerous reasons it enhances our cognitive abilities, and makes us stay away from certain diseases.
On one hand, some individuals reflect that learning a foreign language is only for the purpose of work and travel. Being multilingual provides lucrative options in work. Bilingualism brings diverse career opportunities for people because there are many countries who want employees with better communication skills with different languages; therefore, an employee would be able to handle international work problems and communicate with people. For instance, I am learning English to work in the USA because there is a currency difference in my country Pakistan. Having knowledge of the country’s language where a person is traveling, will help to understand the local culture of the country and communicate better with country’s natives.
On the other hand, some people believe that there are numerous reasons to learn different languages. Firstly, being multilingual helps in personal growth and also it helps to make dissimilar cultural relationships either through online platforms or from international websites. Additionally, having knowledge about diverse languages will help to protect people from diseases like Alzheimer’s and improve cognitive abilities. Furthermore, it helps people to enhance their problem-solving skills.
In conclusion, I acknowledge that different languages help people to work in foreign countries and also help in traveling. However, in my opinion there are numerous reasons to being multilingual because it helps to enhance cognitive abilities, improve communication skills, provide opportunity to make relationships across the country and make us safe from diseases.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 solely for travel and work, and that there are broader reasons—while also providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. Ideas are generally extended and supported, such as when the student mentions career opportunities and personal benefits like preventing Alzheimer's disease. However, some arguments tend to be slightly repetitive or under-developed, particularly regarding cultural relationships. Overall, the response meets the requirements for Band 6.0 as it addresses all parts of the prompt with relevant ideas, though development is sometimes limited.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph structure, using standard introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' are used to signpost the progression of ideas. However, referencing and cohesive links are sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, as seen in phrases like 'It is also reflected that' and 'make dissimilar cultural relationships.' Paragraphing is used appropriately, but internal cohesion within paragraphs occasionally lacks seamless transitions, placing this response firmly at Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'multilingual,' 'lucrative options,' 'bilingualism,' and 'cognitive abilities.' However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'It is also reflected that' instead of 'It is also argued that,' and 'make dissimilar cultural relationships.' Spelling is generally accurate, but awkward phrasing and unnatural collocations occasionally hinder precision, keeping the lexical score at a solid Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional and relative clauses like 'there are many countries who want employees with better communication skills' and 'Having knowledge of the country’s language... will help.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips present throughout the text, such as comma splices ('learning a foreign language has numerous reasons it enhances...') and preposition misuse ('relationships across the country' instead of 'across countries'). Nevertheless, these errors rarely impede overall communication, supporting a Band 6.0 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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