Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-14

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)

Some people argue that giving children freedom to make everyday decisions can encourage selfishness, while others believe that allowing them to make choices is an important part of their development. This essay will discuss both the views and explain why i believe children should be given a reasonable degree of independence.

On the one hand, allowing children to make too many decisions may cause them to become overly focused on their own preference, Id children are always permitted to choose whatever food they want, what clothes they want to wear and how to spend their free time, they may gradually develop an expectation that their wishes should always come first. This could make it difficult for them to understand the importance of compromise and consideration for others.

On the other hand, making decisions for themselves is an essential part of children's development. When children are given with age-appropriate choices, they learn to become responsible and independent. They also have opportunities to understand the consequences of their own decisions and are always be responsible for them. However, it may also inculcate the sense of maturity and can also boost their confidence as well. Additionally, the skills of making decision at a small age are valued in the elderly age.

In my opinion, children should certainly be given with the option of taking their own decision but in a controlled environment and they should be kept responsible for them on their own.

In conclusion, in the wake of above, it can be clearly, easily and logically concluded that providing the authority of taking decisions for self would not let the child to be selfish if it is done under an controlled environment whereas it will improve the ability of the youngsters of decision making.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that choices cause selfishness and that choices aid development—and clearly states their own opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported, such as discussing how everyday choices like food and clothes can develop expectations, and how age-appropriate decisions build responsibility and maturity. However, there is a slight tendency to over-generalize in places, such as 'the skills of making decision at a small age are valued in the elderly age.' Overall, the task is well handled and meets the criteria for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently structured with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing each view, an opinion paragraph, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Additionally,' guiding the reader smoothly through the arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with distinct sections for different aspects of the prompt. However, referencing and transitions are occasionally slightly mechanical, and the lowercase 'i' in the introduction detracts slightly from overall polish. Nevertheless, progression is clear, supporting a Band 7 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for flexibility and precision, attempting less common items such as 'age-appropriate,' 'inculcate the sense of maturity,' and 'controlled environment.' However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'are given with age-appropriate choices' (instead of 'given age-appropriate choices'), 'in the elderly age' (instead of 'in later life' or 'adulthood'), and 'under an controlled environment' (grammatical error with article). Despite these occasional errors and awkward phrasings, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the meaning clearly, fitting the Band 6 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at varied structures such as conditional and relative clauses (e.g., 'If children are always permitted to choose...'). However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, including the lowercase pronoun 'i', 'Id children' (typographical/grammatical lapse for 'If children'), 'are given with' (incorrect passive preposition), 'are always be responsible' (modal verb error), and 'an controlled environment' (article error). These errors do not impede overall communication, but their frequency prevents the essay from reaching a Band 7. A score of 6.0 reflects a mix of sentence types alongside persistent errors.

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