Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-29
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)
It is undeniable that in today's modern era, children's ability to make decisions plays an vital role in shaping their personality and future. While some believe that children should be allowed to make their own choices about everyday matters such as, food, clothes. whereas other believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them . This essay will discuss both the views among with opinion.
To dive into the topic, allowing children to choose their own food, clothes and entertainment helps them to become more confident and independent. For instance, if there will be a circumstance that you are living alone for your further studies without your family . Thus, you have to arrange all the things by your own which will make you responsible.
Moreover, it also allows children to experience the consequences of their choices, which will them to become more aware about things by learning from their mistakes.
Secondly, other hold the notion that, children should make decisions about matters that affect them because when children are involved in important decisions, they learn to take responsibilities for their future.
Furthermore, It also encourages their critical thinking as when they are engaged in something which is vital for their future then they think wisely. For example, parents allow their child to make decision about subjects by their own choice because these decisions may influence their future career and education.
Thirdly, pondering on both the sides . I stand up with later view because it helps them to think deeply for their future and make them more responsible person which will automatically enhance their personality and also help professionally .In addition, they can make their career better as they know what is right for them . For example, if children has a right to study what they want he/she will definitely become successful and well known person one day.
Taking everything into an account my foregone conclusion is that, both the views are equally important as it helps them to become self-dependent, increase confident but, making decision for matters with affect them is more important as it helps them to achieve their future goals wisely.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the argument regarding 'living alone' is a bit tangential to the prompt's focus on everyday choices like food and clothes. While the position is clear, the supporting points could be more nuanced to reach a higher band. The conclusion is a bit confused, as it suggests both views are equally important while simultaneously stating one is more important, which slightly undermines the clarity of the position.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'To dive into the topic' and 'Thirdly, pondering on both the sides' feel unnatural. There are also issues with sentence-level cohesion, such as the fragmented sentence '...such as, food, clothes. whereas other believe...' which disrupts the flow. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the transitions between sentences and paragraphs need to be smoother and more varied to improve the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is a reliance on basic terms like 'things', 'important', and 'good'. Some word choices are awkward, such as 'foregone conclusion' used incorrectly to mean 'final conclusion'. There are also minor errors in collocation, such as 'stand up with later view' instead of 'support the latter view'. To improve, you should aim to use more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that collocations are used correctly in context.
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., 'children has a right'), incorrect article usage, and punctuation errors, such as placing a period before 'whereas'. The sentence structure is often clunky, particularly in the introduction and conclusion. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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