Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-23

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 6.5)

It is widely believed that by giving children more freedom to take their own life decisions in daily matters will produce a society of individuals who will prioritize their own needs only and will disregard the needs of others. Conversely, others contend that it is crucial to allow children to make decisions that can impact their lives. I partly agree with the latter assertion as even though there should be some limitations on children regarding some life choices, they should be allowed to decide for themselves as it will aid them in their experiential learning and will give them a better exposure regarding practical life.

On one hand, proponents posit that parents or guardians should limit the amount of freedom given to children in taking different day to day decisions like not allowing them to eat unhealthy food, supervising the amount of screentime they consume and so on. They believe that children do not possess the maturity level required to make difficult life choices and it can adversely influence their minds to prioritize their own needs, overlooking the needs of others. Hence, their every life decision should be made under the guidance of parents or guardians who can teach them to be compassionate and benevolent.

On the other hand, opponents argue that they should be allowed to have some freedom especially when it comes to decisions related to matters affecting their lives. It allows them to gain practical knowledge and can enhance their psychological abilities by making them learn from their mistakes. Moreover, it teaches them to be independent of their parents and can significantly improve their ability to make smart life choices from an early age.

To conclude, while children should always learn and make choices under the guidance of their elderly, I believe that by allowing them more control over their own life decisions may provide them the opportunity to learn independency and can gain practical experience needed in important life matters.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both perspectives and providing a clear personal opinion. The position is consistent throughout the essay. Ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, though the development could be slightly more detailed. For instance, the argument regarding 'experiential learning' is a strong point, but it could have been bolstered by a more concrete example of how a child learns from a specific choice. The essay maintains a balanced approach, effectively contrasting the two viewpoints before concluding with a synthesis of the arguments. The response meets all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between the two opposing views is handled well using cohesive devices like 'On one hand' and 'On the other hand'. Referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate. While the flow is smooth, some cohesive devices are slightly repetitive or standard. To reach a higher band, you could experiment with more sophisticated linking phrases to connect sentences within paragraphs, ensuring that the relationship between ideas is even more explicit and varied.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'adversely influence', 'compassionate and benevolent', and 'experiential learning' show an awareness of style and collocation. There are occasional minor inaccuracies, such as 'gain practical experience needed in important life matters' which is slightly clunky, and 'independency' which is less common than 'independence'. However, the vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task and allows for clear communication of your ideas without any strain on the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There is good control over grammar, and most sentences are error-free. However, there are a few minor slips, such as the opening sentence: 'It is widely believed that by giving children more freedom... will produce', where the subject of the verb 'will produce' is grammatically disconnected. Additionally, 'guidance of their elderly' is an awkward phrasing; 'elders' or 'parents' would be more natural. Despite these occasional errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the grammatical control is solid.

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

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