Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-30

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that in all levels of education, from primary schools to universities, too much time is spent on learning facts and not enough on learning practical skills.

Do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Education system nowadays is focusing more on theoretical skills. Therefore, from schools to universities, too much time is being spend on learning facts and not on practical knowledge. I personally believe modern education system should focus more on practical knowledge than focusing only learning skills.

To begin with, the latest concept in the schools or the universities has been totally changed. Where, the teachers are concentrating more on teaching learning skills. This is because, they believe, it enhances students learning and memorizing skills. Therefore, rather than focusing more practical knowledge, they are expecting students to learn information through the books. For example, the engineering course needs focus on the machines in which student are required to perform their tasks on the various machines. However, fail to learn about how to operate the machine, will struggle to find a job in the future.

Therefore, practical knowledge plays a vital role in the future of the students. Where, in the interviews when they are asked to run the machine and ability to run the machine will help them getting selected for the role. Additionally, in medical fields where interns are asked to do tasks such as injecting a needle on the patients arm. Therefore, those with the practical knowledge will not take time to perform the task, whereas, student with good learning skills will fail to do so.

In conclusion, despite that fact that learning ability strengthens an individual's brain, having good practical skills improves the ability to implement the skills that an individual has learned through the books. Thereby, I personally believe that educational system should maintain a balanced level between learning skills and performing skills. Moreover, it will make a child's future bright.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that education should balance theoretical and practical knowledge. The ideas are relevant, such as the examples of engineering and medical training. However, the development is somewhat limited; the arguments are repetitive and could be extended further with more nuanced analysis of why the current system prioritizes facts. While the position is clear throughout, the supporting points lack depth, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The conclusion effectively summarizes the stance and provides a balanced recommendation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with,' 'Additionally,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are used mechanically or incorrectly, such as starting sentences with 'Where,' which is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the progression of ideas within paragraphs could be smoother. Overall, the structure is coherent, but the use of linking words needs more variety and precision to achieve a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'skills,' 'knowledge,' and 'learning.' While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary (e.g., 'engineering course,' 'interns'), there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'injecting a needle on the patients arm' (should be 'into') and 'performing skills' (a less natural collocation). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message, but it does not demonstrate a wide range of less common lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('too much time is being spend'), incorrect preposition usage, and sentence fragments or awkward phrasing ('Where, the teachers are concentrating...'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the misuse of commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over more complex structures, keeping the score at the 5.5-6.0 range.

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