Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-06

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 6.0)

Many individuals these days believe that it is good to share as much information as possible that we have on something with scientists for their research, business and academic world. While, others believe that it is better to gatekeep some information and should not be shared that easily. In my opinion, I think both of these views are correct in their own way and equally important for the society. This essay will discuss both sides.

On one hand, the people who believe that it is better to share valuable information with different groups of people like scientists, businessmen and academic teachers are correct in their own way since information is like a piece of cake that whoever gets to have it will become valuable. The type of information that can help a society or a group should never be withheld because it will only help the people in understanding the difference between right and wrong. For example, a researcher found different ways to prevent a disease and he chose to share it with the community so that they could help themselves and the others as well.

On the other hand, some information is too sensitive to be to be given out freely. Since there are two types of people in the world, good and bad, it's better to keep some information private and to not let others know about it because some people may try to take wrong advantage of it and may cause trouble for the society. So to keep a community peaceful it would be a better option to gatekeep sensitive data to oneself rather than creating an enemy out of the society. For example, a scientist created a virus accidentally but he decided to destroy it secretly just in case someone got to know about it and use it for something the scientist never intended for.

In conclusion, having information is beneficial but the way you put it to use is even more important. Therefore, only the information that is helpful for the world should be shared among everyone and the information that could potentially cause harm to the society should either be destroyed or never be out.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both views and give a clear overall position: you consider both important, then conclude that helpful information should be shared while potentially harmful information should be restricted. The examples of sharing disease-prevention research and concealing a dangerous virus are relevant and help illustrate the contrast. This meets the task well, though the two sides are not developed equally in depth: the first example explains a benefit, but the discussion could specify more concrete gains for research, business, or education. The claim that harmful information should be “destroyed” is also quite absolute and would benefit from qualification, such as controlled access or responsible oversight. The response covers the task, but fuller explanation and a more nuanced conclusion would strengthen it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. “On one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the progression easy to follow, and each body paragraph stays focused on its main position. Some linking is mechanical, however, and the opening phrase “While, others” is not smoothly connected to the preceding sentence. There are also unclear references, such as “it” in “whoever gets to have it,” where the reader must infer that this means information. To improve, use transitions more naturally and make links between claims and examples explicit, so the argument progresses through reasoning rather than relying mainly on signposting phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to discuss the topic and attempt some relevant terms, including “sensitive,” “withheld,” “prevent a disease,” and “potentially cause harm.” However, several choices are imprecise or informal for an academic essay. “Gatekeep” is repeated and sounds conversational; “information is like a piece of cake” does not clearly express the intended point; and “academic teachers” is not a natural label for the groups in the prompt. Phrases such as “take wrong advantage” and “creating an enemy out of the society” are also awkward and may blur your meaning. Aim for more precise collocations and a consistently formal register. The ideas remain understandable, but these word-choice limitations restrict flexibility and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “since,” “because,” and “so that,” and the main meaning is generally clear. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in sentence construction and punctuation. For example, “While, others believe” is an incomplete, incorrectly punctuated opening, and “it is better to gatekeep some information and should not be shared” combines structures without a clear grammatical subject. The repeated “to be to be given out” is an editing error, while “the information … should either be destroyed or never be out” lacks a complete, natural construction. Review clause structure, parallel forms, and sentence boundaries, then proofread for repeated words. Greater accuracy across these varied sentence forms would make the argument easier to read.

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