Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-12

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)

Some people state that schools and universities pays more attention towards theoretical part rather than practical things. I strongly agree with the statement that students spent most of their time in learning facts instead of experiencing them in real life.

Although academic knowledge is important but there are a number of advantages of learning practical things as well. Firstly, by memorising facts can get them good scores in exams but after practicing that learnt facts in real life boost their confidence and improve their skills. Secondly, science students learn more with practical experiments in lab that how theory work in real life situations. For example, schools could introduce presentations, group studies and workshops to students. Moreover, students should be provided with internships so that they could learn to handle real life situations.

Thirdly, with the help of practical education students can learn about workplace environment by learning about time management, team work and can improve their problem solving and communication skills. Employers always look for skilled and experienced employees due to which practice could benefit students before entering the job market. As per my own experience, practical activities often helped me to understand the theoretical part that how we can use facts in our real life situations.

However, I do not believe that Theory should be completely remove but practical activities should be more focused. Students need a strong foundation with the academic learning before implementing advanced practical skills in the real world problems.

In conclusion, a balanced education system with both theoretical and practical parts help students to develop their skills and prepare themselves for the better future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating an agreement with the idea that more practical skills should be integrated into education. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the mention of internships, workshops, and lab experiments. However, some arguments could be further extended to reach a higher band; for instance, the explanation of how practical skills specifically benefit the job market is a bit repetitive. Overall, the response is well-focused and provides a balanced view by acknowledging the necessity of theoretical foundations, which demonstrates a good level of task development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as the benefits of practical learning and the need for a balanced approach. Cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more sophisticated. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, ensuring the reader can follow the progression of the argument without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'theoretical part', 'workplace environment', and 'job market'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'practical things' (which is quite informal) and 'theory work' (should be 'theory works'). To achieve a higher band, the student should aim for more precise and academic vocabulary rather than relying on general terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('schools and universities pays', 'students spent' instead of 'spend') and awkward phrasing ('by memorising facts can get them good scores'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction that occasionally distract the reader. The student demonstrates an ability to use complex sentences, but the control over these structures is inconsistent, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band in this criterion.

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