Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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 6.5)

According to some individuals, socialising with colleagues from the workplace in free time is a healthy approach, whereas others argue it is better to have a separate work and social life. This is because some people prefer a strong connection with their peers, while others want to keep both lives separate. In my view, it has an overall positive impact by keeping in touch with colleagues outside the workplace.

Working together on weekdays and then hanging out on weekends is considered to be a healthy step towards a long-lasting relationship between colleagues. People who go to the same office every day tend to foster a healthy connection by socialising in the evenings as well. For instance, working 9-to-5 jobs can be hectic, so workers prefer to socialise with their team members in their leisure time because they can better understand each other. Not only do their interests align, but they can also bring positivity to their workplace.

On the other hand, some argue that there should be a fine line between personal and professional life, as it can negatively impact the very nature of human beings. Some individuals think it is better to socialise with their close friends and family to unwind, which in turn boosts their productivity in their workplace. For example, by having a separate personal and practical life, people often do not develop unhealthy expectations from their peers.

In my opinion, although interacting with close family and friends during weekends allows people to take a break from their mundane routine, hanging out with workmates may allow people to connect deeply. Workfellows are like-minded people who better understand each other both inside and outside their workplace.

In conclusion, some people believe they should keep their work and social lives completely separate because they prefer to rest from their daily routine. While others enjoy the company of their colleagues due to which they develop a healthy connection with each other. According to my viewpoint, it is a positive development to create a non-toxic bond with workfellows.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—socialising with work colleagues versus keeping work and personal lives separate—and clearly stating the writer's own opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as mentioning how leisure-time interaction can improve office relationships and team collaboration, as well as the counter-argument about avoiding unhealthy expectations and finding time to unwind. However, some arguments tend to generalise slightly, and the development could be pushed a bit further with more specific examples. Overall, the task is handled effectively, aligning well with the Band 7 requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with a clear introduction, moving through well-structured body paragraphs representing both sides of the argument, and concluding with a summary of the views and the writer's stance. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'In my opinion', and 'In conclusion' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the text. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively, ensuring that the argument flows naturally from one point to the next without noticeable confusion, supporting a solid Band 7 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task. Words and phrases like 'mundane routine', 'professional life', and 'non-toxic bond' show a good attempt at less common lexical items with general awareness of style. However, there are some slightly awkward collocations or phrasing choices, such as 'practical life' instead of 'private life' or 'personal life', and 'Workfellows' which is not a standard English term. Despite these occasional inaccuracies in word choice, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, placing this response comfortably at Band 6.5 or 7.0, supported here by good overall control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively, incorporating structures such as conditional and subordinate clauses ('While others enjoy the company of their colleagues due to which they develop...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and the overall control of grammar and punctuation is good. Minor slips do occur, such as the dangling or slightly awkward clause construction in the final sentence ('According to my viewpoint' instead of 'From my perspective', or minor punctuation slips), but these errors do not impede communication. The grammatical range and accuracy are indicative of a strong Band 7 performance.

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