Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-20

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 6.0)

It is necessary to allow children to make decisions about their everyday live by themselves, which encourages self-independence and build confidence from a young age regarding their choices. Nevertheless, it is also noteworthy that, proper monitoring and support should be provided to them as needed so that children do not face difficulties about their individual decisions.

Parents should often let their children carry out simple tasks by themselves such as selecting the type of clothing they would like to wear, a movie they would like to watch. Introducing such habits from a young age encourages them to be more independent, develop their personality and make them aware of their likes and dislikes. Children often have creative and out-of the-box choices, and it is therefore duty of a parent that their children select a reasonable option.

As a result, a balanced approach should be maintained when it comes to agreeing to children's decisions. Many parents often complain that their children throw tantrums, misbehave when they are declined of a request. Such destructive behaviour should be discouraged early, otherwise it could be detrimental in future. Parents should be supportive and realistic when dealing with decisions made by their children and move towards a rational approach so as to not dissapoint or belittle their young minds.

Subsequently, it is crucial to take a more measured tactic when granting children the freedom to make their own decisions. A more informative and realistic choice should be presented to children so that they can understand dual perspectives and heed to decisions which would be beneficial for them. It is also conspicuous to permit and respect their choices to promote personal growth and freedom.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource6.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You give a relevant position: children should make everyday choices, but with parental guidance. The examples of choosing clothes or a film help illustrate the benefits of independence, and you also recognise the need to set limits. However, the task asks you to discuss both views, including the concern that children may become self-centred. That opposing view is only touched on through references to tantrums and misbehaviour, rather than explained as a distinct argument. Several points—such as “personal growth” and “dual perspectives”—are asserted without a specific example or fuller explanation. Develop each side explicitly, then state why your balanced position is preferable and support it with a concrete example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has paragraphs that broadly separate the benefits of choice from the need for parental guidance, so the reader can follow its general direction. However, the overall progression is not consistently clear: the opening states a balanced position, while the final two paragraphs repeat the idea of measured freedom without adding a distinct stage to the argument. Connectors such as “As a result” and “Subsequently” do not always show a clear logical relationship between the points that follow. Some sentences also contain several ideas, making the links between them harder to track. Give each paragraph a clear purpose—one view, the other view, and your evaluation—and use transitions that accurately signal contrast, consequence, or conclusion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a reasonably varied range, including topic-appropriate expressions such as “self-independence,” “personal growth,” “rational approach,” and “destructive behaviour.” This shows an attempt to move beyond basic vocabulary, and your meaning is generally clear. At this level, however, some less common choices are not natural or precise in context: “measured tactic” is awkward for describing parenting, and “declined of a request” is not the usual expression. There are also spelling and form slips, including “dissapoint” and “out-of the-box.” Aim for accurate collocations rather than choosing formal-sounding words, and check spelling carefully. More precise phrasing would make your argument sound more fluent and controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including a relative clause in “a movie they would like to watch” and a purpose clause beginning “so that children can understand.” Most sentences remain understandable, and errors do not generally prevent the reader from following your meaning. Some grammatical inaccuracies remain, however. In the opening, “everyday live” should be “everyday lives,” and “which encourages … and build confidence” has an agreement problem; the sentence also needs a clearer grammatical link to its opening clause. In “it is therefore duty of a parent,” an article is missing. Review subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence construction, especially in longer sentences, while retaining the complex forms you already attempt.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.