Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-28

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 has been a debate about whether an opportunity to travel or work in a foreign country is the only reason to learn a foreign language. I think there could be many other reasons to learn a foreign language.

People do not put effort in learning a whole new language unless they have a reason. Employees working in multinational companies might have to travel to many foreign countries, and have to learn the language of that country in order to communicate with his or her colleagues. For instance, an older person that work as a manager in a multinational company might learn a foreign language to communicate with his colleagues, which he otherwise would not have learned. Travelling is another reason people might learn a foreign language. In order to be able to understand and enjoy the local culture, people prefer to learn the local language, thus, travelling and work are the only reason people put effort in learning a new language.

However, these are not the only reason someone learns a foreign language. Sometimes history also intrigues a person's interest in a foreign language. People might learn a new language to understand the history of a place. For instance, people might learn years old language just to be able to understand what it written on the artifacts. Additionally, people might learn a new language just out of curiosity. People might put effort in learning a foreign language just because they are curios or like the particular language. People often take up learning new languages as a hobby.

In conclusion, an opportunity to travel to or work in a foreign country are a powerful force behind learning a new language, but these are not the only reasons someone might learn a new language. Interest in history or curiosity might be some of the reasons that people learn a new language.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You discuss both views and state your position clearly: the introduction says there are “many other reasons,” and the conclusion reiterates that travel and work are not the only motives. The work and travel examples are relevant, as are learning languages to explore history or out of curiosity. This meets the task well, but the two sides are not equally developed. The work example is repeated in slightly different forms, while the historical-interest point is brief and would benefit from a specific illustration. The sentence claiming travel and work are “the only reason” also conflicts with your stated view and the paragraph’s purpose. Clarifying that this is the opposing view, then explaining its limits, would make the discussion more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph presenting practical motives, a paragraph giving other motives, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “However,” “Additionally,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the main progression. This is a coherent arrangement, though some connections are mechanical or unclear. In particular, “thus, travelling and work are the only reason” appears to present your own conclusion within the first body paragraph, even though the next paragraph challenges it. The repeated “People might” also makes the development feel list-like. Use clearer signposting to distinguish the opposing view from your own, and connect each example explicitly to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for the topic, including phrases such as “multinational companies,” “local culture,” “artifacts,” and “out of curiosity.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and some topic-specific vocabulary adds useful detail. However, several word-choice, collocation, and spelling slips limit precision: “curios” should be “curious,” “years old language” is unclear, and “put effort in learning” is less natural than “make an effort to learn.” The repeated use of “learn a new language” and “People might” also restricts flexibility. Aim for more precise alternatives such as “study a language,” “acquire language skills,” or “be motivated by,” while checking spelling and natural word combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex forms, including subordinate clauses with “unless,” “in order to,” and “just because,” and the overall meaning remains clear. However, some errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence construction prevent consistently accurate control. For example, “an older person that work” needs “works,” and “what it written” needs a passive form such as “what is written.” In the conclusion, “an opportunity … are” has a subject–verb agreement problem. There are also shifts between singular and plural references, as in “their colleagues” followed by “his or her colleagues.” Review agreement and passive constructions, and proofread each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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.