Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-03

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 5.5)

It is argued by some individuals that in all levels of education , from schools to universities, teacher give more time to learning facts and less focus on practical skills. I am fully agree with this statement . I will explain this statement in the following Paragraphes.

To commence with ,mostly school focus on learning facts by giving children written home work .To elaborate it, nowadays children have to carry heavy bags even there age is very small and in bags they have copies and books only that is checked by teachers .For instance , A survey was conducted by Cambridge universities in which they search children have less interest in practical work because teachers make them book warm .As a result of this children are always sleepy and tired

Furthermore ,students always denied to go to schools because they want to do something different in schools .To explain it ,many people always complain that their children want to come schools if they are allowed to do some practical work . For example a survey was conducted in which they show most of the students are agree to go to a that school where they focus on not only theory but also give preference to children's interest .

To conclude , I think schools and universities work on practical side too instead of making children book warm because if they are taught practically they can not forget in their full life and they will learn it with interest and enjoy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of practical skills. However, the development of ideas is limited. The arguments regarding 'heavy bags' and 'sleepy children' are somewhat tangential and do not fully explore the educational philosophy behind the balance of facts versus skills. The examples provided, such as the 'Cambridge universities' survey, are vague and lack specific detail, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, you should focus on providing more logical, well-reasoned arguments that directly address the pedagogical benefits of practical skills versus theoretical knowledge.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'To elaborate it' or 'To explain it'. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the second body paragraph where the transition between student complaints and the survey is abrupt. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the logical flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words that connect ideas more naturally rather than relying on repetitive introductory phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, which restricts the ability to express complex ideas. Phrases like 'book warm' (likely intended as 'bookworm') and 'do something different' are imprecise. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'teacher give more time' (should be 'teachers give') and 'they show most of the students are agree' (should be 'agree'). To achieve a higher score, you need to expand your range of vocabulary to include more academic and precise terms related to education and skill development, while ensuring accurate word formation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('teacher give', 'students are agree'), article usage, and pluralization ('Paragraphes', 'universities' when referring to a single institution). The sentence structures are predominantly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. For example, 'if they are taught practically they can not forget in their full life' is grammatically awkward. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, verb tenses, and ensuring that your complex sentences are punctuated and structured correctly.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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