Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-27

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people think that it’s a good idea to socialise with work colleagues during evenings and weekends. Other people think it’s important to keep working life completely separate from social life.

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.

Student answer (Band 8.5)

In today’s fast-paced professional world, many people debate whether it is beneficial to socialise with colleagues outside working hours or whether it is better to keep work and personal life entirely separate. While both perspectives have valid arguments, I believe that maintaining a balance between the two is the most practical approach.

On the one hand, socialising with colleagues during evenings and weekends can strengthen professional relationships. Informal gatherings such as dinners, team outings, or celebrations allow employees to interact in a relaxed environment, which can improve communication and teamwork in the workplace. When people know each other personally, they are often more comfortable sharing ideas and resolving conflicts. For example, in many organisations, team-building activities outside office hours have been shown to productivity. In my own experience, attending occasional social events with coworkers helped create a supportive environment, making collaboration easier during busy periods.

Additionally, some argue that it is essential to keep work life completely separate from social life. One reason for this view is the need for personal boundaries. Employees may feel mentally exhausted if they spend both their working hours and their free time with the same group of people. Furthermore, socialising outside work can sometimes blur professional boundaries and lead to misunderstandings or favouritism. For instance, if a manager forms closer friendships with certain employees, others may perceive bias, which could negatively affect workplace harmony. Furthermore, individuals often value their limited free time to relax with family and long-term friends, which is important for maintaining overall well-being.

In my opinion, while it is healthy to build friendly relationships with colleagues, it is equally important to set clear boundaries. Occasional social interaction can enhance teamwork and create a positive atmosphere, but employees should not feel obligated to sacrifice their personal time regularly.

In conclusion, although socialising with colleagues can improve cooperation and workplace satisfaction, keeping a degree of separation between professional and personal life is equally important. Striking a balance between the two is, in my view the most sensible solution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have discussed both perspectives—the benefits of socialising with colleagues and the importance of maintaining boundaries—and provided a clear personal opinion throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of team-building activities and the potential for favouritism. The conclusion effectively synthesises your position. To reach a higher band, ensure that all sentences are grammatically complete; for instance, the phrase 'have been shown to productivity' is missing a verb, which slightly impacts the clarity of your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two viewpoints is smooth. You make effective use of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion', which guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the response. The logical flow is consistent, and the relationship between ideas is clearly established throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the task. Phrases such as 'fast-paced professional world', 'professional boundaries', 'workplace harmony', and 'overall well-being' show a strong command of topic-specific language. You use less common items with a good awareness of style. While the vocabulary is generally precise, there is a minor error in the sentence 'have been shown to productivity', where a verb like 'increase' or 'boost' was needed. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient to convey your ideas with precision and flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, including conditional clauses and relative clauses. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is generally strong. There is one notable grammatical slip in the second paragraph: 'have been shown to productivity', which is missing a verb. Additionally, there is a minor punctuation error in the conclusion: 'In my view the most sensible solution' requires a comma after 'view'. Despite these minor slips, your control of grammar is solid, and the errors do not impede communication.

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