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 people believe that too much emphasis is given on theoretical knowledge instead of learning practical skills at educational institutions. I completely agree with this point as it is important to teach practical skills, so students are better prepared for their career when they finish their education.

While it is important to teach facts and figures, as that sets the basis of education and are quite important to understand the basic concepts. It is not possible to learn practical skills unless you learn about some basic facts. For example, you cannot learn financial budgeting skills, unless you learn about basics of mathematics. Similarly, it becomes easier to learn data entry skills if you know about basics of computers.

That being said, it is very critical to teach real-world skills, so students are prepared for their career and their life ahead. Furthermore, they should be taught about subjects like financial budgeting, benefits of investing and how to invest, how to manage household, how to setup business in case they want to be an entrepreneur. It should not be looked as a replacement of theoretical knowledge, but rather like an add-on. That would help fill the gap that the students face when they get out of college and they are not able to get a proper job as most companies complain that students out of colleges are not prepared for a job.

In conclusion, I would like to say that theoretical knowledge is important, but equal emphasis should be given to practical knowledge that can help students to start their career after college.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have clearly addressed the prompt by taking a firm stance and providing relevant arguments. You acknowledge the importance of theoretical knowledge while advocating for a more balanced curriculum that includes practical skills. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, particularly the point regarding the transition from education to the workplace. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are slightly more detailed. For instance, instead of just listing subjects like 'financial budgeting,' you could briefly explain how integrating these into the curriculum would specifically benefit a student's long-term professional development. Overall, your position is clear and maintained throughout the response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'While it is important,' 'That being said,' and 'Furthermore' to link your ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the acknowledgment of theory from the argument for practical skills. However, some transitions are slightly repetitive or mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the progression between sentences is smoother. For example, the second paragraph could benefit from a more sophisticated transition between the acknowledgment of theory and the specific examples provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'theoretical knowledge,' 'entrepreneur,' and 'educational institutions' correctly. The language is natural and conveys your meaning clearly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler vocabulary in places. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise or academic collocations. For example, instead of 'sets the basis of education,' you could use 'forms the foundation of academic study.' Additionally, be careful with word choice; 'looked as a replacement' should be 'viewed as a replacement.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'too much emphasis is given on' (should be 'given to') and 'are quite important' (lacks a clear subject). Additionally, the sentence 'While it is important to teach facts and figures, as that sets the basis of education and are quite important to understand the basic concepts' is a sentence fragment. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically complete.

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