Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-01

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 6.0)

The issue of adequate learning as attracted substantial debate in recent years. It is considered by some that the whole education system is putting much emphasis on facts instead of teaching practical skills. I partially agree to this notion. This essay will discuss the key reasons for my viewpoint.

On the one hand, there are various individuals who complain that the schools and universities are teaching facts which will lead to a weak overall understanding of the subjects being taught. One compelling reason is that there are numerous things that cannot be crammed and requires practical experience. For instance, the science theories showing chemical reaction reactions will not prove beneficial if only cramped by students These subjects need labs where the reactions can be tested and let a learner understand it properly.

On the other hand, there are numerous streams which cannot perform practical during the learning process as it would be dangerous for others. For instance, a student opted for medical for degree cannot be allowed to treat patients or provide the patient with any medical help. Those individuals are learners with no licenses and not enough knowledge to be faced with a real life practical experience for such a definite period of of course is allowed in final years when the students have reached a level of factual knowledge that can be instilled into Practical.

In conclusion, although there is mixture of opinions supporting factual and practical learning in the institutions, i believe there has to be a balance of both as neither of one can be proven a single source of providing best form of knowledge to the learners.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position of partial agreement. You identify the importance of both factual knowledge and practical skills. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the argument regarding science labs is clear, the second body paragraph about medical students is slightly confusing in its phrasing, making the link between 'factual knowledge' and 'practical application' less precise. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting example directly reinforces your main argument without becoming overly descriptive or losing focus on the core debate of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into four paragraphs with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' to signal shifts in perspective. However, the flow within paragraphs is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as the repetitive 'of of' in the second body paragraph and the slightly disjointed final sentence. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your referencing (e.g., 'those individuals') is always clear to the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'substantial debate', 'crammed', and 'instilled'. However, there are several instances of word choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'cramped by students' (instead of 'crammed') and 'opted for medical for degree'. These errors do not prevent understanding, but they do limit the precision of your argument. To improve, focus on learning the correct collocations for academic topics and proofread to ensure you are using the intended word form.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'as attracted' (missing subject), 'reaction reactions' (repetition), and 'neither of one can be proven' (incorrect phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with run-on sentences and missing commas. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly to improve clarity and accuracy.

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

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