Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-06

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)

At each stage of academic learning, it is considered by few people that huge amount of time is invested in attaining theoretical knowledge rather than getting hands on practice on skillful learning. I completely agree with this statement and will discuss my views in upcoming paragraphs.

Firstly, from the beginning of primary schooling, children are overburdened with learning a lot of subjects which may not be relevant in future. This leads to pressure and stress on them and results in lowering their overall potential. For example, many student study mathematics till higher school where they learn algebra or matrix which may not be useful if they choose career in medicine. Thus, getting field related knowledge and exposure while studying can be more helpful.

Moreover, focusing on factual learning more and not spending enough time on achieving practical knowledge will not prepare students to face the real world. If they are not provided enough training to use their theoretical learning in real-life situations, they may not be able to achieve well in their professional life. Everyday they come across different situation and scenarios in their life. For instance, professions such as electricians, plumbers, chefs, doctors can never be successful if they lack the practical skills. Hence, learning these skills can bring better career opportunities as well as make them self sufficient too.

To conclude, it is seen that a lot of time is being spend in achieving theoretical knowledge instead of developing practical skills, in every sphere of education. However, this builds pressure and keep learner away from real world challenges. So, a balance of both can easily help students to have satisfying lives and careers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as the discussion on academic subjects versus vocational training. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the example regarding mathematics and medicine is a bit narrow and could have been expanded to explain why a broader curriculum is or is not beneficial. While the position is clear, the arguments could be more deeply explored to reach a higher band. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main point and offers a balanced perspective.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the discussion of primary school subjects and the broader point about real-world preparation could be more sophisticated. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'overburdened' and 'theoretical knowledge'. However, there are instances of slightly unnatural collocations or word choices, such as 'getting hands on practice on skillful learning' and 'achieve well'. The range is sufficient to convey the message, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. Improving the variety of synonyms and refining collocations would enhance the lexical quality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'it is considered by few people that huge amount of time' (missing article), 'many student study' (pluralization error), and 'time is being spend' (incorrect verb form). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. To improve, the writer should focus on subject-verb agreement, article usage, and consistent verb tense application. The control of complex structures is present but not yet fully accurate.

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

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