Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-21
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)
Many people believe that the only reason to learn foreign language is for work or to go for study there. However people also believe this is not the only aim to learn other countries languages. The main aim to learn languages is to extend your knowledge about their traditional culture.
The individuals who believe that the learning foreign languages is only for to go there for either work or study is right about their opinion. Nowadays that's true in many countries like third world countries. For instance in Pakistan many students learn the foreign language just to go there no matter what's his advantages and disadvantages. It also depends on what they wanted to do if he wanted to extend their knowledge this is according to their taste. But if he wanted to go just there this is right for them.
The other individuals who believe that this is not the only way to learn a language is absolutely right. To learn other country language means you have interest in this country's culture and traditions. Learning foreign languages will become beneficial for you you can communicate with other countries individuals easily. For instance if you learn english you can't just go there but you also communicate with individuals more efficiently.
From my prospective, you should learn foreign languages to study about their culture and traditions. And for extending your knowledge about their history. This is the way you can learn the foreign language and to know about their rich culture and history.
In conclusion, my personal advice is to learn other languages for study and work abroad but also known about teir traditions.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You discuss both views and state a personal position, especially in the opening and the paragraph beginning “From my prospective.” The cultural and communication benefits are relevant, and the Pakistan example gives some support to the view that people learn languages for practical reasons. However, the discussion of work and travel is not fully developed: the example focuses mainly on students going abroad to study, and the practical benefits are not explained in detail. Your opinion also shifts between learning for culture and recommending study or work abroad in the conclusion, so the position is not consistently clear. Develop each side with a specific reason and example, then make your own view consistent throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, a personal opinion, and a conclusion. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression between ideas is limited, and several points repeat rather than build on one another—for example, the benefits of culture and traditions appear in both the opening and the opinion paragraph. Linking words such as “However,” “For instance,” and “In conclusion” help signal relationships, but some connections are unclear, particularly in the long sentence beginning “It also depends on what they wanted to do.” Use clearer topic sentences and divide complex explanations into shorter, logically connected sentences. Ensure each paragraph advances a distinct part of the argument.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “foreign languages,” “culture,” “traditions,” “communicate,” and “history,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repeated, especially “learn a language” and “culture and traditions.” Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “go for study there,” “other countries languages,” and “from my prospective.” These reduce precision and occasionally make the reader pause. Build a wider set of natural expressions for discussing language learning, such as “study abroad,” “cultural understanding,” and “broaden one’s knowledge,” and check spelling and word forms, including “their” in the conclusion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the overall meaning can usually be followed. However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors occur frequently in articles, agreement, verb forms, and sentence boundaries. For example, “the only reason to learn foreign language” needs an article, while “if he wanted to extend their knowledge” has inconsistent pronouns. The sentence “Learning foreign languages will become beneficial for you you can communicate…” needs punctuation or a linking structure to join its clauses. There are also shifts between present and past forms, as in “what they wanted to do” within a general discussion. Practise accurate clause construction and subject–verb and pronoun agreement before adding more complex structures.
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.