Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-20

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)

It is often argue that educational institutions spend to much time teaching facts and theoretical knowledge, while practical skills receive less attention. I agree to a large extent with this view because practical skills help students deal with real-life situations and prepare for their future careers.

Out of all arguments, one of the prominent benefits of practical skills is that it prepare students for the workplace and everyday life. That is to say, students can understand a subject much better when they have an opportunity to use their knowledge in practice, Moreover, practical activities such as grope projects and presentations can improve teamwork, communication skills and problem-solving skills. For instance, a medical students may learn about different treatments from textbooks but practical training can teach them how to deal with real situation.

Furthermore, practical skills are highly valuable by employers and international companies. As a consequence, many individuals get a job instantly because they have enough experience and practical knowledge. Besides that, many employees get promotion quickly in their field because of advanced knowledge and skills.

On the other hand, some people believe that most of the schools and universities focus more on academic subjects instead of practical skills. They think that basic knowledge is very essential for further education and future career developments.

For instance, a university student may learn numerous theories about business management, but if they have never participated in a real project, they may find it difficult to manage employees and communicate with colleagues.

In conclusion, I firmly agree that schools and universities currently place too much on academic subjects and not enough on practical abilities. Although theoretical learning is important, educational institutions should provide more opportunities for students to practice what they learn through projects, internships and real-world activities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, particularly the argument regarding workplace readiness and the example of medical students. However, the development in the third paragraph is slightly repetitive, and the counter-argument in the fourth paragraph is somewhat underdeveloped, as it does not fully explain why some might disagree before pivoting back to the main argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explored with specific, nuanced examples rather than general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'As a consequence', and 'On the other hand' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, there are minor issues with cohesion, such as the slightly awkward transition 'Out of all arguments' and the comma splice error in the second paragraph ('practice, Moreover'). While the progression of ideas is clear, the use of cohesive devices could be more natural and varied to achieve a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'theoretical knowledge', 'international companies', and 'academic subjects'. However, there are some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'It is often argue' (should be 'argued') and 'highly valuable by employers' (should be 'highly valued by employers'). Additionally, there is a spelling error ('grope projects' instead of 'group projects'). To improve, the student should focus on more precise collocations and ensure accuracy in word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('it prepare students' instead of 'it prepares') and article usage errors ('a medical students' instead of 'a medical student'). There are also minor punctuation errors, such as the comma splice mentioned previously. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur with enough frequency to prevent a higher band score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring greater accuracy in basic grammar would be beneficial.

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

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