Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-11

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 my opinion,children of a certain age like 14 or 15 have the right to make their choice regarding everyday matters as in that age a child or we can say a teenager can do the difference between right and wrong.

Nowadays, we do see many parents stating they dont we can say run their children and that their children have the right to do anything.i believe it it wrong as it gives the child the right to do anything without knowing the cosequences.There should be a time when parents should oversee their childs descisions.

For Example, I myself still ask my parents for permission to do several things like go outside with friends or go to play.

On the other hand I think Parents who give the right of decison to their child are not entirely wrong as well too. As a child who starts to make decisions at a youg age gets matured quickly as when if he makes a mistakes and has to pay for it, he gets to know what a bad decision can do.

Therefore, i believe that parents should have a middle way in managing their childs decison, meaning they should not completely leave them free and nor they should completely take control.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall opinion: parents should take a “middle way” rather than either granting complete freedom or controlling every decision. You also address both views, noting that unrestricted choice may leave children unaware of consequences, while making decisions can help them mature. However, the discussion is only partial: the first view is not fully explained, and the benefits and risks of children’s choices are supported with limited detail. Your example of asking permission to go out is relevant but does not strongly illustrate the wider issue. The response is also 41 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to develop both sides. Extend your reasoning with specific examples and explain how parental guidance can build independence responsibly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: it introduces your opinion, considers parental control, presents the opposing view, and ends with a compromise. Connectors such as “For Example,” “On the other hand,” and “Therefore” help signal these stages. However, progression within paragraphs is limited, and some links are awkward or repetitive. For instance, “On the other hand I think Parents…” shifts to the second view without clearly connecting it to the earlier discussion, while the opening paragraph combines several ideas in one long sentence. Paragraphing is present but the argument would be easier to follow if each paragraph had one clear purpose and developed its point in a logical sequence. Use clearer references and transitions to show how each example supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “everyday matters,” “right and wrong,” “consequences,” and “make decisions.” However, the range is limited and several choices or spellings are inaccurate, which makes the writing less clear and natural. Examples include “do the difference” instead of “distinguish,” “cosequences,” “descisions,” and “youg.” The phrase “give the right of decision” is also an awkward way to express allowing children to decide. Repetition of “right,” “child,” and “decision” further restricts variety. Build a more precise set of expressions for parental guidance, independence, and responsibility, and check spelling carefully so that errors do not distract from your argument.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a reason clause beginning “as” and a contrast introduced by “On the other hand.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. The opening sentence is a run-on, with several ideas joined without clear punctuation. In “I believe it it wrong,” the repeated subject and missing verb form disrupt the sentence; “parents should oversee their childs descisions” also needs a possessive form. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, as in “i believe” and “For Example,” and the final sentence has an unbalanced construction: “they should not completely leave them free and nor they should completely take control.” Practise accurate sentence boundaries and parallel structures before adding more complex clauses.

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