Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-26
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 5.5)
The vast majority of people often face a dilemma over whether in all levels of education, too much time spent on acquiring facts and not sufficient on learning practicals skills. I partly agree with this statement and present my opinion.
To begin with, learning practical skills can positively affect the lives of individuals. students often memorise facts just pass to exams; they may forget this information after the exam. Moreover, practical skills are important for careers as learners need communication, problem-solving and technical skills. Only when can student performs better, if they learn practical skills. For instance, experiments, projects and real-life examples help students understand difficult concepts.
On the other side, if students need basic knowledge so facts and theory are still essential. Some subjects require extensive theoretical knowledge. Mathematics, history and literature cannot be taught entirely through practical activities. For instance, memorising important information helps students build a strong academic foundation.
To conclude, although learning facts is essential for building a strong academic foundation, I believe that students should also be given sufficient opportunities to develop practicals skills. A balanced approach to education can prepare young people for both academic success and their future careers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by taking a balanced position. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which severely limits the development of ideas. While the main arguments regarding the importance of practical skills versus theoretical foundations are relevant, they remain underdeveloped due to the lack of length. The conclusion is present, but the overall response lacks the depth and detailed supporting examples required for a higher band score. To improve, you must expand on your points with more specific examples and detailed explanations to meet the word count requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'On the other side' are used to signal the progression of ideas. However, the connection between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the flow is occasionally interrupted by grammatical errors. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the brevity of the response makes the overall structure feel somewhat thin. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'academic foundation' and 'theoretical knowledge'. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'practicals skills' (should be 'practical skills') and 'just pass to exams' (should be 'just to pass exams'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise collocations that would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. Focusing on accurate word forms and expanding your range of academic vocabulary will help.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. For example, 'Only when can student performs better' is syntactically incorrect, and 'if students need basic knowledge so facts and theory are still essential' lacks proper structure. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. You should focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like verb forms and word order.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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