Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-24

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)

In 21 century there is huge debate between children should get the freedom of making their own choices on daily activities which will affect the society as they will think for themselves and other people think that it is really important for kids to make their decision by themselves so that they are aware of the consequences too. In my opinion i believe that young adults should be making their own decision about the matter which affects them.

There are parents who wants their children to be bold and stand up for themselves and make their own decisions they want them to not be spoonfeed whole time it is very important these days to start taking decisions in the bold and fast moving world as they will learn from their mistakes they will also explore their mindset for example young adults in the generation has a really different mindset and taste in food , cloths and many other personal decisions so forcing them or wanting them to think like us might hamper their confidence.

On the other hand people think that allowing young adults choose their own decisions is impacting the thought process of society that the kids are making their own choices which can be selfish decision too. for example there are parent who are overprotective and they tend to make all the decision for their children.

In conclusion there are different opinions and i will go with the second statement parents should let their kids take the decision it helps them grow

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 limited. For example, the argument regarding the potential for selfish behavior is mentioned but not sufficiently explored or supported with a concrete example. The essay relies on generalizations, such as 'parents who are overprotective,' without explaining the link between childhood autonomy and adult societal impact in depth. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your reasoning with more detailed explanations and specific, relevant examples that directly connect to the prompt's focus on the long-term societal implications of these parenting styles.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While there is an attempt to use transition signals like 'On the other hand' and 'In conclusion,' the internal flow within paragraphs is disjointed. Sentences often lack cohesive links, making the reading experience somewhat mechanical. For instance, the second paragraph is a long, run-on sequence of ideas that would benefit from better signposting and clearer topic sentences. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother to better guide the reader through your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic, repetitive phrasing such as 'make their own decisions' and 'think for themselves.' There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'spoonfeed whole time' and 'cloths' (instead of 'clothes'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to child development, autonomy, and societal values. Using more precise synonyms and collocations would help demonstrate a more flexible control of language and improve the overall academic tone of your writing.

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. Issues include missing articles ('In 21 century'), subject-verb agreement errors ('parents who wants'), and run-on sentences that lack proper punctuation. For example, the sentence 'there are parents who wants their children to be bold and stand up for themselves and make their own decisions they want them to not be spoonfeed whole time' is grammatically fragmented. Improving your control over punctuation and sentence boundaries, as well as ensuring consistent verb agreement, is essential for achieving a higher score.

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

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