Some university students want to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects. Others believe it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Same questionCompare 3 different answers (Band 6.5–8)

Sample Response

1

People have different views about whether university students shouldcould learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects or whether they should giveor they should give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. In my opinion, the diversity of undergraduates' curricula is more beneficial to their sustainable development.

2

There are two mainmain two reasons why it isbe argued that university students should focus on their main subjects. Firstly, most of the majors require their students to payrequire their students pay all their attention to it, which means the students do not have extra time to learn about other subjects. For example, many science subjects like physicsphycics or mathematicsmath are too difficult forto most of the students to understand. If they learn about other subjects which have no relation to these subjectsrelation with these subject, they may fail to pass the exams. Secondly, different subjects need different methods to study them well, and sometimes they may negatively affect each other. This means studentsstudent need to improve a certain way of thinking instead of mixingmix different ways together.

3

However, I would agree with those who believe that university students should broaden their horizonsexpand their sights and knowledge by learninglearn other subjects. It is true that they should spend most of their time on their majors, but sometimes focusing solely on the same topicsparing on the same topic may make people more confused. DifferentDifferents subjects could offer students different perspectivesbring students different views. For instance, many scientists say music is a good way to open their mindsmind and bring them some ideas. Furthermore, students' future careers are not only connectedfuture career not only just connected with their majors, but also are related to many other qualities like social skills.

4

In conclusion, while some people believe that university students should pay all their attention to main subjects, my own view is that they should also learn other subjects, which benefits theirbenefiting to their sustainable development.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 6.5

The essay effectively addresses both perspectives of the prompt while maintaining a clear and consistent personal position throughout the response. However, the overall impact is constrained by frequent grammatical inaccuracies and imprecise word choices. To improve the writing quality, focus on refining subject-verb agreement and sentence structure to ensure greater grammatical accuracy.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TR

Task Response

7.0
Scoring rule

The response presents a clear position throughout and addresses both sides of the prompt with relevant supporting arguments.

Next step

Provide more fully elaborated real-world examples to strengthen the depth of the supporting points.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

6.5
Scoring rule

The essay is logically organized into distinct paragraphs with clear progression between main ideas.

Next step

Use a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect ideas more naturally rather than relying on repetitive transition words.

LR

Lexical Resource

6.0
Scoring rule

An adequate range of vocabulary is used to convey meaning, though some word choices and collocations are awkward.

Next step

Focus on correct word forms and natural phrasal collocations to increase lexical precision.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

6.0
Scoring rule

A mix of simple and complex structures is attempted, but grammatical errors in verb forms and prepositions occur regularly.

Next step

Review fundamental grammar rules, particularly subject-verb agreement and preposition use, to reduce noticeable errors.

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IELTS Writing Task 2

Some university students want to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects. Others believe it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Your response

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