Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-01

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 that children should allow to make their own choices in terms of meals, clothes and enjoyment, so they might become selfish and only think about their selves while other argue that it is necessary for them to take decisions for better improvement. This essay will examine both view points before providing my own opinion.

This is a well known fact that children started to take decisions for daily choices nowadays and this could affect on their nature. If their parents allow them for make selection about whatever they want in daily basis, they might always think about their temporary happiness. As small child have not enough maturity to take decisions behalf of others. So they must have to understand others core value and requirements rather than being selfish.

However, children are free to make selection about things that affect on their future. This is a very important trend because with the help of this skill, their ability for risk taking and decision making are improve at early age. In addition, learning those skills is significant for them as this would help in their future in terms of carrier making. For example, a student learned to take best choices for his/her daily life, is able to take decisions for future in terms of benefit.

I personally think that children should allow to make their decisions but under guide of their parents because they do not have enough understanding to make every right choice. Parents or teachers are always take an eye on their every actions and decisions for their safety and wellness.

In conclusion, both view points are understandable because they are suitable with separate views but I believe that a little control is important for children.

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 example, the argument regarding children becoming 'selfish' is mentioned but not deeply explored with concrete examples or logical depth. Similarly, the benefits of decision-making are stated in general terms without specific illustrations. While the position is consistent, the supporting points lack the depth required for a higher band score. The essay covers all parts of the prompt, but the arguments remain at a surface level, which is characteristic of a Band 6 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic attempt at using cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In addition', and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'For example, a student learned to take best choices... is able to take decisions'. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the lack of sophisticated linking words and occasional awkward phrasing makes the cohesion feel somewhat repetitive and basic.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. The student relies on simple, repetitive language such as 'take decisions' and 'make selection'. There are also some word-choice errors, such as 'carrier making' (likely meaning 'career') and 'under guide of their parents' (should be 'under the guidance'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of more sophisticated or academic vocabulary prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. The range is sufficient to communicate the main points but does not demonstrate flexibility.

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 the flow. Examples include 'children should allow to make' (passive voice error), 'on daily basis' (preposition error), and 'small child have not enough maturity' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, there are issues with verb forms, such as 'are improve' instead of 'are improved'. While the meaning is usually understandable, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures, keeping the score in the Band 5 range.

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

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