Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters (such as food, clothes and entertainment) is likely to result in a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them.

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 5.0)

It is undeniable that in this modern era people have significantly divergent perspectives on education. In this regard the whether letting children decides there routine matters by themselves may foster self character. This essay will be outline not only the the both views but also my opinion which is in favor of former point of view in forthcoming fragments with logical conclusion.

To commence with proponents argue that giving freedom to children. Firstly children often lack the necessary experience to make informed decisions. their developments stage renders them less mature compared to their parents, which inhibits their ability to foresee the potential consequences of their actions.

For instance,if children are given free rein over their dietary choices, they may gravitate towards

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is significantly under the required word count of 250 words, reaching only 121 words. Because the essay is incomplete, it fails to address all parts of the prompt. The discussion of the second view is entirely missing, and the conclusion is not reached. While the introduction attempts to outline the essay's structure, the failure to develop any arguments or provide a complete response severely limits the score. To improve, you must ensure you fully explore both sides of the argument and provide a clear, supported opinion within the word limit.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay shows some attempt at logical organization, such as using 'To commence with' to signal the start of a body paragraph. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the text. Cohesive devices are used in a somewhat mechanical way, and the lack of a full structure makes it difficult to assess the overall flow. The paragraphing is also incomplete. To improve, focus on developing each paragraph with a clear topic sentence, supporting evidence, and a concluding thought before moving to the next point.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and contains several errors in word choice and form, such as 'decides there routine matters' (should be 'decide their routine matters') and 'self character'. The range is insufficient to express complex ideas effectively. While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of variety and the presence of errors in basic collocations prevent a higher score. You should focus on learning word families and practicing common collocations to improve your precision and range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The text contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. Examples include 'the whether letting children decides' (incorrect clause structure and subject-verb agreement) and 'This essay will be outline' (incorrect passive voice construction). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the punctuation is inconsistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and sentence construction before attempting more complex structures. Proofreading for basic errors like 'there' versus 'their' is also essential.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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