Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-20

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)

Language plays a crucial part in day-to-day life , proving again and again to be an important part of not only communication but also everyday tasks . Each person might be familiar with a variety of languages , due to work , school or other factors . but this leads us to one question - does a person need to know more than just one or two languages ? why bother learning different languages and take up that burden if people are not travelling to different countries ?

well , the answer is quite simple . Satisafaction is a major part of why people study a variety of languages . For example , in my neighbourhood , my best friend has a behavior , where he creates specific goals for him to achieve during a specific time period . The most recent one was , for him to learn Spanish , although the language had no significance in his day-to-day life . By the end of the time period , he was so clear with the language that , native speakers believed that he was one of their own .

Another reason , could be for people to communicate effectively , especially in jobs related to bargaining , where a small misunderstanding can prove to be extremely costly . So , to avoid such mistakes in work areas or even in schools , People learn new languages .

And of course , the importance of learning a language cannot go understated when a person is travelling from one country to another or from one state to another . Effective communication is comupulsory in such cases to understand details of the country or city from the locals .

Another reason could be to fill in their leisure time . As people get off early from jobs , schools or colleges , they get a lot of leisure time , which they must fill . So , learning a new language could be both time consuming and also helpful in scenarios where they are faced with a need to use the language .

So , overall , I do not believe in the view that a new language must be learned only while travelling or to work in a foreign country , as I believe that a person must be fluent in as many languages as possible , as this can help people communicate better , make stronger friendships , get to know the cultures and traditions of different people and also get to know more people .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and give a clear opinion: the conclusion rejects the idea that language learning is only for travel or overseas work. The examples of your friend learning Spanish for personal satisfaction and of communication in bargaining-related jobs are relevant. However, the discussion of the opposing view is brief: travel is explained, but learning specifically to work in a foreign country is not explored in much detail. Some supporting points, such as using language learning to fill leisure time, are asserted rather than developed with a clear example or explanation of its value. To strengthen the response, explain each side more evenly and connect each example directly to the reasons people choose to learn languages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction through several reasons to a concluding opinion, and paragraph breaks help separate the points. Linking phrases such as “For example,” “Another reason,” and “And of course” make the sequence easy to follow. However, the progression is largely a list of reasons rather than a developed comparison of the two views. Repeated openings such as “Another reason could be” make the linking feel mechanical, while the opening questions do not lead smoothly into the first main point. Group the reasons into clearer paragraphs—for example, one on travel and work, and another on personal, social, or educational motives—and use references that make the relationship between ideas explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “effective communication,” “misunderstanding,” “native speakers,” and “cultures and traditions.” These choices help convey the main ideas, and the meaning is generally clear. However, several word choices and collocations are awkward or imprecise, such as “creates specific goals for him to achieve,” “fill in their leisure time,” and “the importance … cannot go understated.” There are also spelling errors, including “Satisafaction” and “comupulsory,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural academic phrasing and check spelling carefully. For instance, use “sets goals for himself,” “occupy their free time,” and “cannot be overstated.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “although,” “where,” and “as,” and most of the message remains understandable. Some errors in sentence construction and punctuation are noticeable, however. For example, “Each person might be familiar … . but this leads us” incorrectly begins a new sentence with a lowercase conjunction, while “my best friend has a behavior, where he creates” uses an awkward clause structure. Commas are also frequently placed before spaces or inserted where they interrupt the sentence, as in “The most recent one was , for him to learn Spanish.” Review sentence boundaries, comma placement, and the construction of relative clauses. More consistently controlled complex sentences would make the argument easier to read.

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.