Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-15

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 5.5)

Many people think letting children make there own decisions for daily life could result into the society of selfish individual while others believe children should decide about necessary daily matters that can potentially affect them. children could become selfish if they are allowed to make decisions of their own for small matter. while it also important for them to make decision that can impact them as it will improve their self awareness.

One the one hand, people argue children must be given space and freedom so they can take their own decisions on the matters that can affect them without external influence from their parents. This approach is beneficial to kids because making their own decisions in early childhood can improve their decision making skills, additionally kids will be more self ware as they will be avoiding things that are not working out for them.

On the other hand, some believe letting children decide what they should do could lead to a society of adults who don't care about societies decorum and culture, my opinion matches this this view. when kids in their early days of childhood are made more self centric they often forgets the emotions of their parents. for example in households where total income of both parents is not enough to fulfill the desired life style of their kid result into the more emotional connectivity between parents and child because child has seen the struggle of their parents. Which is better for individual and for better society.

In conclusion, some people think it is better to let decide child his own daily life choices in his childhood which helps individual child to make better decision and be more self ware while others believe for the betterment of society it is not suitable to let child decide what his/hers daily choices be as it will result into the society of people that don't care about the individuals around them and become selfish.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'societal decorum' is introduced but not fully explained or linked clearly to the prompt's examples of food or clothes. The example provided about household income is slightly tangential and does not directly support the point about children's decision-making. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that each paragraph focuses on extending the argument with more relevant, logical examples that directly relate to the specific matters mentioned in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand', to signal shifts in the argument. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'which is better for individual and for better society'. Additionally, there are some issues with referencing, such as the repetitive use of 'this' and 'the' in the third paragraph. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks precision and sophistication. You use some basic terms repeatedly, such as 'decisions', 'society', and 'children'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'societies decorum' (should be 'societal decorum') and 'self ware' (should be 'self-aware'). To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to child development and social responsibility, and pay closer attention to spelling and word forms to ensure your meaning is conveyed accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'child has seen'), missing articles (e.g., 'result into the society'), and punctuation errors. For example, the sentence 'Which is better for individual and for better society' is a sentence fragment. While you attempt complex sentences, they are often faulty. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy, such as correct verb forms and article usage, will help you achieve a higher score.

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

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