Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-29

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 6.0)

There is a going debate regarding both views whether the only reason to learn a foreign language is to travel to or to work in a foreign country, while the others say that its not the only reason you should learn foreign language.

Proponents of the first view claim that there is no benefit of learning a foreign language if you are not traveling to a foreign country or working there. This viewpoint is supported by the fact that learning a foreign language while staying in your country would be in vain because you would not have people to converse with or have a dialogue with anyone in that foreign language. Furthermore learning a new language will require immense effort and ample amount of time.

Conversely those who advocate for the latter opinion believe that there are still benefits of learning a foreign language even though you are not travelling to that country. A common justification for this stance is that we live in a modern world which is connected to each country across every continent. Learning a foreign language will help people to interact with other people of different cultures and backgrounds online, it will widen their perspective of understanding people of different countries and share their similarities and differences. Furthermore learning a different language will also enable you to consume content or read books which are not available in your country.

While both views have their pros and cons, I personally believe the second view of learning a foreign regardless of your need to travel is more sound.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on why people learn foreign languages and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. For instance, the paragraph supporting the second view logically explains the benefits of modern global connectivity, online cultural interaction, and media consumption. However, the development of the first view is slightly briefer and could have been extended with deeper elaboration on why lack of conversational practice makes learning 'in vain'. The student's position is maintained throughout the response, meeting the requirements of Band 6.5 to 7.0 well, and is comfortably awarded a Band 7.0 for addressing all task parts with a clear, supported position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The essay is divided into an introduction, two body paragraphs exploring opposing views, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Conversely' and 'Furthermore', which guide the reader effectively through the arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. However, referencing and cohesive links are at times slightly repetitive or mechanical, and the conclusion paragraph is extremely brief, missing an opportunity to synthesise the points more smoothly. Overall, the structural progression and logical flow align comfortably with the Band 6.5 descriptor, landing at a solid 6.5.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases such as 'proponents of the first view', 'modern world which is connected', and 'widen their perspective' show a sufficient range for some flexibility and precision. However, there are some minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'going debate' instead of 'ongoing debate', and dropping the noun in 'learning a foreign regardless'. The student attempts less common items with varying degrees of success, maintaining a communication flow that is never impeded. This performance fits neatly into the Band 6.0 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating adequate control over basic structures. Examples of complex sentences include 'This viewpoint is supported by the fact that learning a foreign language while staying in your country would be in vain...' However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and punctuation omissions, such as missing commas in introductory clauses ('Conversely those who...'), missing verbs or articles (e.g., 'its not the only reason'), and minor prepositional slips. While these errors occur regularly, they rarely impede communication. The grammatical range and accuracy are characteristic of a stable Band 6.0.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.