Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-01

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 7.5)

Practical skills have been increasingly widespread in recent areas. There is a considerable debate about whether all educational institutions concentrate more on practical skills rather than academic studies. In my opinion, I believe that all schools and universities should include practical skills like public speaking, creative thinking in their standard curriculum but academic studies should not be compromised.

To begin with, I would say that in this modern world, although basic education is pivotal, the importance of practical skills cannot be underestimated. It is the responsibility of educational places that they focus more on practical skills. These skills are important for their later life. If their decision-making ability is good, it will indirectly build the leadership skills and confidence. Consequently, this leads to more career opportunities. For instance, in some countries, the governments include special courses and sessions for the practical skills from primary school level to enhance their student's confidence and creative thinking. Hence, this trend plays a significant role in their economy and living standards.

One more important point is that academic studies belong to the basic requirement for any education system. Nevertheless, with the advancement of new technology, all students should know the basics of new innovation. If they concentrate more on basic subjects like mathematics, science, they will not be able to get time on other activities. Besides this, it will avoid unnecessary courses which citizens avail to improve their skills. In return, it will avoid financial burden on the families.

In conclusion, academic studies are important, but I strongly believe that all school and universities should spend time on building the practical skills like public speaking, creative thinking. It will ultimately lead to a substantial improvement in students' progress and a positive impact on their future goals. Eventually, it will be helpful for the public and the government.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt and maintained a clear position throughout the essay. You successfully argue for a balanced approach, advocating for the integration of practical skills without compromising academic standards. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of public speaking and creative thinking, and you provide a logical rationale for why these are beneficial. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are more specific; for instance, instead of mentioning 'some countries' generally, you could briefly describe a specific educational initiative or a well-known program to add more depth to your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Consequently', 'Nevertheless', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader through your argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the connection between the second and third body paragraphs could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and each paragraph focuses on a central theme. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the progression of ideas within paragraphs flows more naturally, avoiding repetitive sentence structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'pivotal', 'standard curriculum', and 'financial burden' are used effectively. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'recent areas' (which is unclear) and 'citizens avail to improve' (which is slightly awkward). You attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is a positive step. To achieve a higher score, focus on refining your collocations and ensuring that your word choices are always natural and contextually accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are occasional grammatical errors, such as 'It is the responsibility of educational places that they focus' (which is wordy) and 'academic studies belong to the basic requirement' (which should be 'are a basic requirement'). Punctuation is generally sound, but there are some minor slips in article usage and prepositional phrases. The errors present do not impede communication, but to move into the higher bands, you should aim for more error-free complex sentences and greater control over sentence variety.

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