Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-13

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)

There is a widespread debate on whether children should allowed to make their own everyday choices. While some argue this leads to selfishness, I believe giving them age-appropriate freedom is essential for their development.

On the one hand, critics argue that if a children constantly chose their own food, clothes and entertainment, they may become self-centered. Also, when parents never say no, children may be not able to learn about compromise, discipline and social responsibilities. For instance, a child who only eats junk food and watch whatever he wants may not understand the real values of health and family needs. if this attitude proliferates across a generation , it could result in a society where individuals channel all their sources only toward their personal desires.

On the other hand, allowing children to make their own decisions is essential for building confidence and independence. Decision-making is a skill that must be practiced from young age. When a child choses his own clothes and books, he learns to evaluate options, accept consequences and take responsibility. This alleviation of constant parental control helps to reduce parent-child conflicts and encourages maturity. For example, children who are allowed to manage their small pocket money often become more financially responsible as adults.

In my opinion, a balanced approach is more effective. Parents should allow freedom in low-risk matters like clothes and hobbies, but guide children in important matters such as health and education. This way, children do not feel commodified by overly strict rules, but also do not become spoiled.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address both views and give a clear, consistent opinion: children should have freedom in low-risk choices while parents guide them on health and education. Each position is supported with relevant examples, including the child choosing food and entertainment and managing pocket money. This meets the task well, with ideas extended rather than merely listed. To strengthen the response further, develop the first view’s link between everyday choices and wider social selfishness more carefully; the claim that this attitude could spread across a generation is plausible but asserted rather than explained. The balanced conclusion is clear, though the point about children feeling “commodified” is not fully connected to the argument about strict rules.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear progression: introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a concluding opinion. Topic sentences such as “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” make the discussion easy to follow, while “For instance” and “For example” introduce relevant support. The final paragraph also brings the two positions together effectively. Cohesion is generally controlled, although some links between claims could be more explicit: the move from parental refusal to social responsibility, for example, would benefit from a clearer explanation. There is also a sentence beginning “if this attitude…” that should be capitalised, and the space before the comma after “generation” interrupts the otherwise clear presentation.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for the topic, including “self-centered,” “compromise,” “social responsibilities,” “independence,” and “financially responsible.” These choices help express the main ideas clearly, and some less common language shows an attempt at precision. However, a few word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “alleviation of constant parental control” does not naturally express the intended benefit, and “commodified by overly strict rules” is an unsuitable use of “commodified.” “Channel all their sources” also appears to use the wrong noun. These slips do not prevent understanding, but more natural phrasing and collocation would make the vocabulary more consistently precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including conditional clauses (“if… they may become”) and a relative clause (“children who are allowed…”). The meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors occur across the response. Examples include “children should allowed” instead of “children should be allowed,” “a children,” and “a child… watch” rather than “watches.” There are also errors in verb forms and agreement in “constantly chose” and “a child choses,” as well as the missing capital letter at the start of “if this attitude…”. Review articles, subject–verb agreement, and verb forms, then proofread punctuation and capitalisation. More accurate control of these basics would make your varied sentence structures more effective.

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