Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-16

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 7.0)

The debate about whether or not to socialise with acquaintances after office hours is contentious. Although some people prefer to keep a distinct boundary between their personal and professional lives, I firmly believe occasional interactions with colleagues outside work while maintaining personal boundaries, promotes healthy relationships at the workplace.

On the one hand, supporters of socialising with co-workers contend that it fosters greater cooperation between them and boosts work productivity. When co-workers party together, they may develop healthy relationships, which can help them to cooperate better at the workplace. Consequently, greater work cooperation improves work productivity by avoiding unnecessary tensions, which otherwise could hinder job performance. For example, when employees of a small IT firm socialise on weekends, they may become friends, resolve conflicts at work and improve work production. Therefore, partying with co-workers is beneficial for them as well as the company.

On the other hand, critics argue that there should be a distinct boundary between one's personal and professional lives. They believe that spending time with colleagues beyond office hours may bring back work-related discussions and stress. Moreover, it can lead to gossiping and unprofessional romantic relationships, which could be damaging for their reputations. For most employees, evening and weekend hours generally mean unwinding and spending quality time with family. For instance, an office manager may prioritize spending time with family on weekends to relax and choose not to engage in social activities with colleagues. Thus, keeping working life completely separate from social life is vital to break away from the monotony of work.

In conclusion, although the decision to socialize with colleagues primarily depends on the preferences of employees, I believe a balanced approach with occasional social gatherings while prioritising family time, can improve cooperation among co-workers and maintain harmony at the workplace.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views on socialising with colleagues and clearly stating the author's own opinion in the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Ideas are well developed and supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as the example of employees in a small IT firm socialising on weekends. The position is clear and maintained consistently throughout the essay. The student demonstrates a strong understanding of the task requirements, fulfilling all criteria for a Band 7.0 or higher. The arguments regarding both cooperation and the need for boundaries are well-reasoned and thoroughly explored.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, with appropriate opening cohesive phrases such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. Logical relationships between ideas are managed effectively using connectors like 'Consequently', 'For example', and 'Thus'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to separate the introduction, two body viewpoints, and the conclusion. Referencing is clear and unambiguous. While cohesive devices are used effectively, a slightly more sophisticated management of paragraph transitions could push this into higher bands, making Band 7.0 an accurate assessment.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision, demonstrating awareness of style and collocation suitable for a general task. Phrases like 'distinct boundary', 'unnecessary tensions', 'monotony of work', and 'balanced approach' elevate the response. There are occasional slight awkwardness or minor word choice issues, such as 'work production' instead of 'productivity' or 'work performance', but these do not impede communication. Less common lexical items are attempted with general success, placing the vocabulary score firmly at Band 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay uses a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, maintaining frequent error-free constructions. Examples include conditional and participial constructions like 'When co-workers party together, they may develop...' and 'while maintaining personal boundaries, promotes healthy relationships'. There is generally good control of grammar and punctuation, though minor punctuation slips are present (such as the comma placement error after 'boundaries' in the introduction). Errors are rare, non-systematic, and never impede communication, aligning well with the Band 7.0 descriptor for grammatical control.

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