Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-28

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Write about the following topic: Some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business and the academic world. Others believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely. 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)

Opinions differ regarding how information should be disclosed. While some people believe that it is good to share more facts as much as possible in scientific research, business and the academic world for more accurate results, I believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely because it can put subjects' financial accounts in danger.

A particularly noteworthy benefit of oversharing information in scientific research is its potential to produce more precise results. This can be largely attributed to the fact that most researchers use the information they get to make a general overview of a particular field. This means that, if researchers are given more information, they are likely to make a precise conclusion rather than relying on a general overview. This can be exemplified by medical practitioners carrying out research on the effects of COVID-19 disease. If they are given more information, they are likely to get more definite results, which can be used for medical purposes.

Nevertheless, it would be unrealistic to overlook the fact that disclosing too much information can be risky, since the shared information can put individuals' lives in danger. This is particularly concerning because hackers may use information from online surveys to hack people's bank accounts, thereby stealing money from the respective accounts. By having access to people's personal data, hackers are better positioned to retrieve and use them for their personal gain. In practical terms some surveys require an individual to fill in personal details such as phone number, full names, and other details, which can be used to swap individuals' personal accounts. As a consequence, participants' finances may be unsafe.

In conclusion, although some people believe that it is good to share more information on scientific research, business and the academic world for more accurate results, I think some data is too important or too valuable to be shared freely because it can put respondents' financial accounts in danger.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—sharing information freely in scientific research, business, and academia versus protecting valuable or sensitive data—and provides a clear personal opinion throughout. The position is stated in the introduction and reiterated in the conclusion. Ideas are extended and supported, such as the example of medical practitioners researching COVID-19 to illustrate the benefits of data sharing, and the example of hackers exploiting personal surveys to highlight the risks. However, the reasoning around business and the academic world is somewhat sidelined in favor of scientific research and personal surveys, showing a slight tendency to overgeneralise or narrow the scope. Nevertheless, all prompt requirements are met satisfactorily, corresponding well to a Band 7 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a clear central topic: the introduction establishes the background and position, the second paragraph examines the benefits of information sharing in research, the third discusses the security risks of disclosing personal data, and the final paragraph provides a concise summary. Cohesive devices are used adequately and generally appropriately, such as 'While some people', 'A particularly noteworthy benefit', 'Nevertheless', and 'As a consequence'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the different facets of the debate. Although referencing is sometimes a bit repetitive ('information', 'more information'), the overall progression is coherent and logical, justifying a Band 7 score.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision, employing academic and topic-appropriate phrases such as 'over-sighted', 'noteworthy benefit', 'precise results', and 'personal data'. There are attempts to use less common items with some awareness of collocation, for example 'medical practitioners', 'financial accounts', and 'respective accounts'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and repetitions, such as 'oversharing information in scientific research' and the repeated use of 'more information'. Vocabulary errors are occasional and do not impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the arguments. This fits the Band 6.5 to 7 profile well, comfortably earning a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional forms ('If researchers are given more information, they are likely to make a precise conclusion') and relative clauses ('surveys which require an individual to fill in personal details'). There is a good variety of complex structures used throughout the response. Grammatical control is generally quite good, with frequent error-free sentences, and punctuation is handled competently. While there are a few minor awkward phrasing choices or slight over-reliance on certain patterns, errors are rare and do not impede communication at all. The grammatical range and accuracy clearly reflect the Band 7 descriptors.

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