Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-24

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 opine that in many educational centres, from primary to tertiary levels, students are encouraged to memorize facts instead of gaining practical skills. I agree to the fact and believe that rote-learning is outdated and more emphasis should be given to hands-on skills.

The primary reason behind this paradigm is that same traditional curriculum is adopted by educators every year, with only negligible changes which has led to continuation of similar educational trends which were designed decades ago. However, at present times, considering how technology has revololutionaized other aspects of human life, the old curriculum which focused on memorisng facts must be improvised to allow more firsthand education. For example, numerous concepts in the subject of science in schools are still taught as facts, and students are expected to memorize them. But if they learn from performing science experiments in the laboratory, they would gain firsthand knowledge and better understanding of the concepts.

Another contributing factor is that, even though in higher grades practical portion of the studies are mandatory, it is not given equal weightage compared to the theoretical portion. For instance, in many secondary schools, parctical exam only accounts for 20% and theoretical exam accounts for rest 80% of the grades. This disparities has led to focusing more on learning facts rather than practical skills. Nevertheless, some pedagogical experts believe that education system should provide equal weightage to both practical and theoretical aspects of the exams.

To sum up, although students should spent time to marshal the facts as a part of the traditional syllabus, equal importance should be given to both theoretical and practical aspects of studying as their stimulates critical thinking and provide firsthand knowledge.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response clearly addresses the prompt and maintains a consistent position throughout. You have identified the core issue—the imbalance between rote memorization and practical application—and provided relevant supporting arguments. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the example regarding science experiments and the weightage of practical exams in secondary schools. To reach a higher band, ensure that your conclusion does not introduce new nuances that contradict your main argument; for instance, you suggest that students should 'marshal the facts' as part of the syllabus, which slightly dilutes your initial strong stance against rote-learning. Overall, the task is addressed effectively.

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, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason behind this,' 'However,' and 'Another contributing factor' to link your points effectively. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, which helps the reader navigate your argument. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure supports the development of your position.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'paradigm,' 'revololutionaized' (noting the spelling error), and 'pedagogical experts' show an attempt to use less common lexical items. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as 'parctical' and 'This disparities' (subject-verb agreement). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on ensuring that your word choices are consistently accurate and that you proofread for small spelling slips that detract from your otherwise strong vocabulary usage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several instances of grammatical errors, such as 'same traditional curriculum' (missing article), 'revololutionaized' (spelling), 'This disparities' (number agreement), and 'as their stimulates' (incorrect pronoun/verb form). Despite these errors, your meaning remains clear throughout the essay. To achieve a higher score, you should aim for more error-free sentences and pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will also help elevate your score in this criterion.

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

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