Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-20
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)
Nowadays, some individuals think that parents who allow their children to take decisions on their day to day activities whether it is related to their clothing, food or anything else can create a negative impact on them and make them selfish whereas, on the other hand, others think that it only makes children more independent which will help them in future.
To begin with, it is important that the children should get opportunity in order to make decisions on there own which will results either making mistake or learning from that. In todays time the treatment from the parents is very different. Some parents are very strict to their choice where they only allow the children to make choices which fits to there mindset, which creates a tendency to the children that they are now only depended on the parents choices and this creates confusion as well as low in confidence among the mindset of a person.
On the other hands, some parents are very friendly that creates a environment for children to take there choices on their own, that creates the feeling of confidence and independent. But, it has a drawback where it is seen that later on the children gets selfish and have no knowledge or sympathy towards others.
In conclusion, the two different situation is very tricky for the future of children, where the respons
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you address both sides of the argument, the conclusion is incomplete and abruptly ends, meaning your own opinion is not clearly stated or fully developed. The ideas presented, such as the link between parental control and child confidence, are relevant but remain under-developed due to the lack of sufficient supporting examples or depth. To improve, ensure you provide a balanced discussion and a clear, well-reasoned conclusion that explicitly states your position.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic paragraphing and some cohesive devices like 'To begin with' and 'On the other hands'. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete nature of the text. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'the two different situation', where the pluralization is inconsistent. The flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and the abrupt ending prevents the essay from having a coherent overall structure. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the logical flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple phrasing such as 'take decisions' and 'make choices'. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'depended on the parents choices' (should be 'dependent on') and 'low in confidence' (should be 'low confidence'). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and ensure that words are used in their correct grammatical form and context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the children should get opportunity in order to make decisions on there own' (should be 'their own') and 'the two different situation is very tricky' (should be 'situations are'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, and there are several spelling errors (e.g., 'todays', 'there' instead of 'their'). Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for basic spelling and grammar errors will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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