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Cambridge 13 Writing Task 2 Test 3 - Sample Answers (Band 9 to 4-5)

Real band 9, 8, 7 and 6.5 sample answers for this prompt, plus a genuine band 4-5 answer so you can see exactly what pulls a score down. Every sample comes with examiner-style notes on Task Response, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.

The Prompt

History vs Science and Technology in Schools

Some people say that History is one of the most important school subjects. Other people think that, in today's world, subjects like Science and Technology are more important than History.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

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Band 9

255 words

Uses a real example on each side of the debate rather than treating either view abstractly.

Whether History deserves the same priority in schools as Science and Technology is a genuinely debatable question, and while I understand the case for prioritising practical, technical subjects in today's economy, I believe History remains just as essential, albeit for different reasons.

There is a strong case for prioritising Science and Technology. These subjects equip students with skills directly relevant to modern careers, from software engineering to medical research, and countries that invest heavily in STEM education, such as South Korea, have seen clear economic benefits in the form of highly skilled workforces and thriving technology sectors. In a rapidly changing job market, this practical relevance is genuinely persuasive.

However, History offers something equally valuable, even if less immediately marketable. Understanding how past events, conflicts, and decisions shaped the present helps citizens interpret current political and social issues with far greater nuance, and it fosters critical thinking skills, such as evaluating sources and constructing evidence-based arguments, that are transferable to almost any field. Countries that have neglected historical education, arguably, produce citizens more vulnerable to misinformation and less able to recognise recurring patterns in political events. This is not merely a theoretical concern; declining historical literacy has been linked in several studies to greater public susceptibility to conspiracy theories and simplistic political narratives.

In conclusion, while Science and Technology offer clear practical advantages for individual careers and national economies, I believe History provides equally important, if less tangible, benefits for informed citizenship, and a balanced curriculum should therefore continue to give both areas serious weight.

Examiner Notes

Task Response: Fully discusses both views with genuine balance before reaching a clear, well-justified position, and specific examples (South Korea's STEM investment, evaluating sources) anchor both sides of the argument.

Coherence & Cohesion: Each paragraph carries a distinct function, and cohesive devices ("however", "in conclusion") link them naturally throughout.

Lexical Resource: Wide range of precise vocabulary ("transferable", "informed citizenship", "tangible") used with natural collocation.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Wide range of complex structures, including relative clauses and non-finite clauses, used with full accuracy.

Band 8

256 words

A well-balanced discussion let down only slightly by a less specific use of supporting examples on the History side.

Some people believe History is one of the most important subjects in school, while others think Science and Technology matter more in the modern world. In this essay, I will discuss both views before giving my opinion.

There are good reasons to prioritise Science and Technology. These subjects give students practical skills that are directly useful for many modern careers, such as engineering or computer science, and countries that focus strongly on these subjects, like South Korea, have developed very successful technology industries as a result.

On the other hand, History also has real value, even though it is less directly connected to specific jobs. Learning about the past helps people understand why current political and social situations exist, and it teaches important skills like analysing evidence and forming arguments, which can be useful in many different areas of life, not just history itself. For example, students who study History often become better at evaluating whether a source of information is reliable, a skill that is arguably more important than ever in an age when misinformation spreads so easily online. This suggests that the benefits of studying History go well beyond simply learning facts about the past.

In my opinion, both subjects are genuinely important, and I don't think schools should reduce the amount of History taught simply because Science and Technology seem more practical for careers.

In conclusion, while Science and Technology are clearly valuable for the modern economy, I believe History remains just as important for helping people understand the world they live in.

Examiner Notes

Task Response: Fully discusses both views with a clear, well-supported opinion and a relevant example (South Korea), though the reasoning stays slightly more general than the band 9 answer's.

Coherence & Cohesion: Clear five-paragraph structure with accurate cohesive devices throughout.

Lexical Resource: Good range of vocabulary, though "real value" is a little more general than the higher-band answer's more specific phrasing.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Mostly accurate complex sentences with only rare minor slips.

Band 7

258 words

A clear, well-reasoned answer that would be stronger with one concrete example to anchor its argument.

Some people think History is one of the most important subjects in school, but other people think Science and Technology are more important nowadays. I will discuss both views and then give my opinion.

People who support Science and Technology say these subjects are very useful because they teach skills needed for many modern jobs, such as engineering or computer programming. They also say that countries which focus on these subjects tend to have stronger economies.

On the other hand, people who support History say it is still important because it helps people understand how past events affected the world we live in today. They also say that studying History teaches useful skills, like thinking carefully about information and forming good arguments. For example, when studying History, students often have to look at different sources about the same event and decide which ones are more trustworthy, and this kind of skill can be useful in many other situations, not just in school. Some people also say that understanding History helps people avoid repeating mistakes that were made in the past, since many problems that societies face today have happened in some form before. This makes History a genuinely practical subject in its own way.

In my opinion, I think both subjects are important in their own way, and schools should not stop teaching History just because Science and Technology are useful for finding a job.

In conclusion, both sides make good points, but I believe History and Science and Technology are both important parts of a good education.

Examiner Notes

Task Response: Discusses both views and gives a clear opinion, but no specific real-world example is used to support either side, unlike in the higher-band answers.

Coherence & Cohesion: Organised clearly with one paragraph per view; cohesive devices ("On the other hand", "In conclusion") are accurate but predictable.

Lexical Resource: Adequate range for the task, with some repetition of "important" and "subjects" throughout.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Generally accurate mix of simple and complex sentences; meaning is always clear.

Band 6.5

254 words

The discussion is well balanced, but agreement errors on nearly every key task word noticeably lower the score.

Some people think History is one of the most important subject in school, but other people think Science and Technology is more important nowadays. I will discuss both view and then give my opinion.

People who support Science and Technology say this subject is very useful because it teach skill needed for many modern job, such as engineering or computer programming. They also say that country which focus on this subject tend to have stronger economy.

On other hand, people who support History say it is still important because it help people understand how past event affected the world we live in today. They also say that studying History teach useful skill, like thinking carefully about information and forming good argument. For example, when studying History, student often have to look at different source about the same event and decide which one is more trustworthy, and this kind of skill can be useful in many other situation, not just in school. Some people also say that understanding History help people avoid repeating mistake that were make in the past, since many problem that society face today have happen in some form before. This make History genuinely practical subject in its own way.

In my opinion, I think both subject is important in their own way, and school should not stop teaching History just because Science and Technology is useful for finding job.

In conclusion, both side make good point, but I believe History and Science and Technology is both important part of good education.

Examiner Notes

Task Response: Discusses both views and gives a clear opinion, matching the content of the band 7 answer, but grammar errors throughout reduce clarity.

Coherence & Cohesion: Follows the same one-paragraph-per-view structure as the higher-band answers.

Lexical Resource: Limited by missing plurals on key task words ("subject", "skill", "job") used throughout instead of their plural forms.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent subject-verb agreement errors ("Science and Technology is more important", "country which focus", "both subject is important") appear on nearly every sentence.

Band 4-5 - What to Avoid

47 words

Names both views but never actually discusses either one in any depth.

Some people think History is important, other people think Science is more important now.

I think Science is more important because we need it for job. History is also nice to know.

In conclusion I think both subject are important, this is my opinion about this topic.

Examiner Notes

Task Response: Both views are named but neither is properly discussed, each gets a single unsupported sentence, so the instruction to 'discuss both views' is not really fulfilled. At well under 250 words, the response is also underlength.

Coherence & Cohesion: Paragraphs list opinions without connecting them into a developing argument.

Lexical Resource: Extremely basic and repetitive vocabulary ("important", "nice", "think") with no attempt at more varied language.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent errors, including missing plurals and subject-verb agreement ("both subject are important").

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These sample answers are written independently for Prep IELTS Now to illustrate real band-score differences. They are a study aid, not official Cambridge or IELTS material.