Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-01

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 speak that studying a overseas language is for travel or work in a foreign state, while others belive that these are not suffiecient enough of a reason for individuals to master a foreign language. This essay will discuss both viewpoints before explaining why i belive that both opinion should be treated equally.

On the one hand, Studying other languages can be very benefacial for oneself because it provides a variety of opportunity in the work field or in a higher degree educational that are significant for individuals. Admittedly, traveling becomes very easily for keeping language check in that particular country because you will less likely be scammed from the locals that are trying to sell items with doubled their price range. For example, if i want to get a taxi to reach my destination place but the local taxi drivers will charge extra because i could not bargin in their language.

On the other hand, some belive that not only working or traveling can be a main reason for knowing foreign language beacause there are other reason like studying abroad for higher education or communicate with other people like friends or relatives. While many want to learn their culture and also their ways of improving medical treatment. For example, countries like China or Japan provide futuristic products that shake the world with more economic opportunity in their individual work places.

In my opinion, I strongly assume that communicating, working, studying, and traveling provides better oppotuniy for average people to pursue language learning. And also for them to be creative with other language and their cultural benefits.

In conclusion, peoples idea of learning other language can be good for travel or work can be the main point in their sets of goals but communication or studying can also be a factor that should not be easily discarded.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and give a position: the introduction says both should be treated equally, and the conclusion recognises communication and study as additional reasons. The examples about taxi fares and studying or communicating with people are relevant. However, the discussion is only partly developed. The first body paragraph explains travel and work, but the work-related point is not supported with a specific example. The second paragraph lists education, relationships and cultural or medical interests without explaining how these motivate language learning; the reference to products from China and Japan is also not clearly connected to the argument. Clarify your position on whether travel and work are sufficient reasons, then develop each view with a focused explanation and example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, two paragraphs presenting contrasting views, your opinion, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the structure. However, progression within paragraphs is less consistent. In the second body paragraph, the move from studying abroad and communicating with others to learning culture, medical treatment, and products is abrupt, and the links between these points are not made explicit. The opinion paragraph also repeats several reasons rather than developing their relationship. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each example directly to the point it supports; vary transitions so the essay does not rely mainly on formulaic signposting.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “higher education,” “scammed,” “cultural benefits,” and “economic opportunity,” and the reader can generally understand your intended meaning. However, the range is limited by repeated general words such as “reason,” “people,” and “language,” while several inaccurate choices or spellings make expressions unclear. For example, “keeping language check” does not naturally express the benefit of speaking a local language, and “higher degree educational” is an awkward phrase. Errors such as “belive,” “benefacial,” and “oppotuniy” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise set of topic phrases and check spelling, word forms, and collocations so your ideas are expressed naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast clause beginning “while” and a conditional example beginning “if.” These attempts help you explain and illustrate ideas. However, control is uneven, and some sentence structures are faulty. In “the local taxi drivers will charge extra because i could not bargin,” the tense relationship is unclear; “because you will less likely be scammed” is missing a grammatical element; and “both opinion should be treated” has a number-agreement problem. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, particularly the lowercase “i” and the capitalised “Studying” after a comma. Review subject–verb agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries, then proofread for consistent capitalisation.

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.