Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In this modern world, every single person is running behind money and education. Most of the people believe that education from schools to universities is very time-consuming rather than focusing on practical skills. I strongly agree with this statement because parents think that there is competition for education and comparison of your children with other children.

On the one hand, in many schools, even universities expand their study hours to explain everything in theory, not on a practical basis. Secondly, they placed the burden on students to become a topper in every exam. Respectively, they did not have enough time to do it in a practical way. Majorly not enough money to spend on students and this type of activity. For example, in many countries youngsters only focus on competitive exams; they don't have practical knowledge about any subject.

On the other hand, guardians and mentors play a crucial part in their lives because they also pressure their children to overstudy and take extra classes for them. Furthermore, children try to complete their parents' dreams instead of thinking about themselves. As a result, kids feel tense, and they try to complete their parents' dreams. Practical knowledge is the best key to understanding anything because in the real world you face different problems, and you learn a lot of things from them. For example, students have patterns for exams like every week and do not have enough time for practical skills.

In conclusion, I really believe all steps for education are more inclined towards theory rather than practical knowledge because of less money they gain from governments. Secondly, parents play a harsh part of the reality.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position, but the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you identify the pressure on students and the lack of practical focus, the arguments are somewhat repetitive, particularly regarding parental pressure. The explanation of why schools focus on theory—citing government funding—is a relevant point, but it is not fully explored. To reach a higher band, ensure each paragraph introduces a distinct, well-supported argument rather than restating the same points about stress and parental expectations. The conclusion is a bit brief and does not fully synthesize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly unnatural. For instance, 'Respectively' is used incorrectly to start a sentence, and 'Majorly' is not an appropriate cohesive transition. While there is an attempt to use linking words like 'On the one hand' and 'Furthermore', the flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed. Improving the variety and accuracy of your transition signals will help the ideas connect more fluidly and improve the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'running behind money' and 'do not have enough time'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'harsh part of the reality'. To improve, focus on using more academic vocabulary and precise collocations. For example, instead of 'running behind money', you could use 'prioritizing financial success'. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated, topic-specific terminology would significantly enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'they placed the burden' should be 'they place'), article usage, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'Majorly not enough money'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed accurately to avoid confusion.

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

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