Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-06

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some countries, more and more people are hiring a personal fitness trainer, rather than playing sports or doing exercise classes. What are the reasons for this? Is this a positive or a negative development?

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

It is widely observed that many people hire a personal fitness instructor instead of participating in sports and exercise classes. I think this approach is quite beneficial considering our modern and fast faced lifestyles today.

To begin with, nothing beats the individual approach that personal trainers provide. Every individual has varied goals and lifestyles hence the trainers would be able to work on specific personalised targets. For instance, some one who sits at their workplace desk all day would require rather greater focus on stretching the muscles as opposed to conventional strength training which possibly could inflict more fatigue to the muscles. Furthermore, the individuality also adds to the element of flexibility. By this I mean, the training sessions since done independently can be tailored as per the fluctuating schedule of the sole individual. In contrast, it becomes troublesome to take all the group members availability and schedules into consideration when planning any group fitness activity or sports.

On the other hand, some might argue that group activities like playing sports together or fitness groups help in socialising and building good connections however, I think this sidetracks people from the main goal. People are more dedicated and focused when they are on a one to one fitness routine. The most fruitful effects can only be reaped by targeted approach provided by an expert trainer on an individual basis.

In conclusion, while playing sports and participating in exercise classes has its own merits I believe the increased trend in training with a personal fitness trainer is more beneficial. This aligns well with the overall population as most struggle with their unpredictable busy schedules.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the trend and the evaluation of whether it is a positive or negative development. The position is clear throughout. The ideas are relevant, particularly the focus on personalization and scheduling flexibility. However, the development of the 'reasons' could be more extensive. While the example of the office worker is good, the argument regarding the negative aspects of group exercise could be more nuanced to fully explore the 'positive or negative' aspect. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', 'In contrast', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the benefits of personal training to a counter-argument and finally a summary. The referencing is generally clear, though some transitions could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task. The student uses some good collocations like 'fluctuating schedule', 'targeted approach', and 'fruitful effects'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'fast faced' (should be 'fast-paced') and 'some one' (should be 'someone'). While the range is sufficient to convey the message with precision, it lacks the consistent use of less common or idiomatic vocabulary that would elevate the score to the 8.0 band. The word choice is functional and clear throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over grammar, but there are occasional errors that slightly impact the fluency. For example, 'the training sessions since done independently' is a bit awkward, and 'the trainers would be able to' could be more direct. There are also minor punctuation issues, such as missing commas in complex sentences. However, these errors do not impede communication, and the majority of the sentences are clear and grammatically sound.

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