Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-05
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)
Some individuals believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters can make them self-centred, while others argue that children should be given freedom to make decisions that affects their lives. This essay will discuss both views before explaining why I believe that should have some independence.
On the other hand, giving children complete freedom may encourage them to become overly focused on their own desires. Young children do not always enough experience to understand the consequences of their decisions. For instance, if children are allowed to choose whatever food they want to eat, they may select unhealthy food instead of healthy food. They can also spend a lot of their time playing games and watching videos and waste their time.
On the other hand , allowing children to make their own choices can help them develop independence and responsibility, When they are involved in everyday choices, they learn how to evaluate different options and deal with the result. For example parents allow their children to choose their daily outfit. This also increase their confident.
In my opinion, children should give freedom to make their own decisions but with limits. Children should know their limits. They should be know what is wrong and good foe them. This will make them responsible and mature enough to understand the results of their choices.
In conclusion, giving children freedom of choice can help them develop responsibility and mature but they should know their limits. Sometime giving them freedom is very harmful because they are not mature enough.
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 all parts of the prompt, discussing both perspectives and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of unhealthy food choices and the development of independence. However, the development is somewhat limited; the arguments are brief and could benefit from more detailed explanation or concrete examples. For instance, the point about children choosing outfits is a good start but lacks depth regarding how this specifically fosters long-term responsibility. The position is consistent throughout, but the conclusion is slightly repetitive and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented.
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 'On the other hand' and 'For instance'. However, there is a significant error in the use of transition words; the second body paragraph also begins with 'On the other hand', which is inappropriate as it does not contrast with the previous paragraph. Additionally, some sentences are disjointed, and the flow between ideas could be smoother. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure feels somewhat mechanical.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. The student relies on common, simple words like 'good', 'bad', and 'wrong'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'This also increase their confident' (should be 'confidence'). While the meaning is generally clear, there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring correct word forms (e.g., noun vs. adjective usage).
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 distract the reader. Examples include 'do not always enough experience' (missing verb), 'parents allow their children to choose' (missing subject-verb agreement or tense consistency), and 'They should be know what is wrong and good foe them' (incorrect modal structure and spelling). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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