Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-19

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)

Undoubtedly, education plays a vital role in the development of children. It is often argued that schools and universities focus majorly on theory instead of providing the students with more real world knowledge. I completely agree with this statement, although learning facts is essential but learning skills such as social skills can help in building the proper foundation of the graduates.

To commence with, there are a number of reasons why the institutions should prioritise communication and social skills. The prominent one is that it will help the learners to enter the corporate world. This is because most of the companies look for the candidates who can work in teams, can communicate with clients, and have problem solving skills. These skills cannot be achieved solely through theory. Therefore, at all levels of education it is crucial to put emphasis on practical skills.

However, only learning practical skills would not help either. One major reason is that there are some fields that require learning such as medical, engineering, and law. Individuals cannot practice in any of these fields without proper learning the basic education or without the degree. Consequently, people who possess both knowledge and practical skill can become better in their professional growth. For instance, a doctor can treat the patient but with good communication skills they will be able to understand the patient's issues and resolve it for them.

In conclusion, although learning practical skills can help the students but attaining theory is also equally important, I do not believe that all the focus should be provided on learning skills. Education can build the foundation and provide them with the various job opportunities but having good social skills can make students better at their various professions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a balanced position. You clearly state your agreement with the need for practical skills while acknowledging the necessity of theoretical knowledge. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, particularly the example of the doctor, which effectively illustrates the synergy between theory and practice. However, the development could be more nuanced; for instance, the transition between the importance of practical skills and the necessity of theory is a bit abrupt. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are fully extended with more detailed explanations of how these skills specifically impact different educational levels, as mentioned in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Therefore', and 'However' to guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. For example, the link between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother to better reflect the shift from the importance of skills to the necessity of theory. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'corporate world', 'professional growth', and 'foundation'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'attaining theory' (which is slightly unnatural; 'acquiring theoretical knowledge' would be better) and 'proper learning the basic education' (which is grammatically awkward). While you successfully use some less common vocabulary, the control is not yet fully sophisticated. Focusing on more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'most of the companies look for the candidates who can work' (the 'the' is unnecessary) and 'without proper learning the basic education' (should be 'without properly learning the basics'). Additionally, there is a comma splice in the conclusion: '...equally important, I do not believe...'. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. To improve, focus on refining your use of articles and ensuring that complex sentences are punctuated correctly to avoid run-on structures.

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

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