Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-11

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)

A growing number of people believe that plenty of schools are putting emphasis on learning facts and spend less time on a practical session. I partially agree with the given statement, as paying more attention to factual knowledge allow pupils to study important subjects and get a good grades in the exams, whereas it can be essential for the science students to get clear idea about importance of practical capabilities for their professional career.

On the one hand, contributing more time behind the learning facts by educational authorities, they promote students for memorization and provide them space to solve a complicated calculations very quickly. For instance, if teachers paying more attention to study subjects, it will facilitate learners to gain in-depth information about numerous subjects like mathematics, science and history. As a result, they can use their knowledge to get higher marks in their exam and sometimes solve the tough mathematics calculations. Apart from that, learning facts give them chance to understand their surrounding environment and how it works. Therefore, it will improve their critical-thinking and memory power.

On the other hand, practical skills are essential part of the student's life, because they have to inculcate important professional skills for their future. For instance, medical students need to attend hospitals during their study time in order to understand various human diseases and how they can handle the patient. Also, hospital postings will be responsible for the development of their good communication, cooperation, critical-thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills. As a result, in future, they can easily build good relationship with patients and encourage them to follow treatment plans. Sometimes practical capabilities build a strong personality and make them more confident in order to cope with the real-life unforeseen difficulties during their clinical work.

In conclusion, a balanced approach would be preferable rather than reliant on particular one section. Getting educational knowledge and practical experience promote pupils to have successful career and prepare them to overcome the challenges on a very effective way.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, presenting a clear position that advocates for a balanced approach. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the comparison between general academic subjects and the specific needs of medical students. However, some arguments are slightly repetitive, and the development could be more nuanced. For instance, the discussion on 'critical thinking' is mentioned in both body paragraphs without a clear distinction. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph introduces a distinct, fully explored aspect of the argument rather than overlapping points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used throughout, such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'contributing more time behind the learning facts.' Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and some sentences feel disjointed. Improving the flow between sentences within paragraphs would enhance the overall cohesion of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'inculcate' and 'unforeseen difficulties.' However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'spend less time on a practical session' (should be 'practical sessions' or 'practical skills') and 'reliant on particular one section' (should be 'relying on one particular approach'). These errors do not impede communication but prevent the essay from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the writer attempts complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('factual knowledge allow pupils') and article usage ('get a good grades'). Some phrasing is also non-idiomatic, such as 'if teachers paying more attention.' Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the response. To improve, the writer should focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring consistent verb forms.

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

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