Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-01

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)

Many individuals think that letting kids make their decisions by themselves would raise them to be self-centered, whereas others believe that young people should be allowed to make decisions that directly concern them. I personally believe that young people should be allowed to make every decision in their lives.

Individuals who believe that children make their own choices every single day regarding food, clothes, and entertainment might lead them towards being selfish. However, this statement holds no value, as kids who grow up without making their own decisions end up as either introverts or someone who lacks confidence. In Pakistan, many parents try to dictate the lives of their kids, choosing everything for them, which only ends up making them handicapped, as they grow up without the ability to think for themselves. On the other hand, young people who make a decision about everything they want could end up as people who are more open-minded and have the ability to make decisions that are true for themselves.

Although there are some people who believe that kids should be allowed to make every choice that directly affects them. For instance, what career do they want to pursue, or what degree do they want to get? In the subcontinent, our parents implement their decisions on us, whereas young people should be able to do what they want. The burden of expectations weighs these young people down, and, subsequently, they end up giving up on their dream. Young people should be able to make their own decisions and feel accountability towards them. If parents are the ones making choices for them, the hatred and bitterness would be directed towards the parents. Young people would feel that it was their parents' fault and mask their failure underneath it, as people cannot be blamed for the choices they didn't make. As the saying goes, people will criticize your decision without looking at your choices.

In the end, I believe that children should make every decision of their life for themselves, not just the one that might concern them. Making decisions and choices on their own would make them ready for the real world. The ability to think on their toes. How many kids suffer because they can't make decisions themselves and have low esteem because their parents didn't let them make their decisions? Society needs a change that allows these kids to have their own opinion and their own decisions.

In conclusion, it would be wrong to say that if kids make their own decisions, they would end up as selfish human beings. On the contrary, I believe they would end up responsible and accountable, as they would know that it was their decision, not someone else's.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You present a clear opinion that children should make their own decisions, and you address both the concern about selfishness and the benefits of autonomy. The examples about parental control in Pakistan and the subcontinent make the discussion relevant. However, the two views are not explored equally: the concern that choice may encourage self-centred behaviour is dismissed as having “no value” rather than explained and weighed. Some claims, such as children becoming “introverts” when they lack choice, are broad and not clearly supported. Your argument about accountability is more developed, but the conclusion repeats your position rather than resolving the tension between freedom and parental guidance. Develop the opposing view fairly and qualify your claim that children should make “every decision.”

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, discussion paragraphs and a conclusion, and the main position is easy to identify. Linking expressions such as “However,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help signal relationships between ideas. Nevertheless, progression is uneven: the first body paragraph moves from selfishness to introversion and then to open-mindedness without fully connecting these points. The second paragraph begins “Although there are some people…” but does not complete the contrast clearly, and the final body paragraph includes sentence fragments (“The ability to think on their toes”) and a rhetorical question that interrupt the argument’s flow. Group related claims more tightly and use clearer transitions between examples, explanations and conclusions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss autonomy and its consequences, including “self-centered,” “open-minded,” “accountability,” “burden of expectations,” and “bitterness.” These choices help communicate the central argument, and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more expressive phrasing, such as “weighs these young people down.” Some word choices and collocations are imprecise or overly broad: “handicapped” is unsuitable for describing a lack of decision-making skills, while “make every decision of their life” is not a natural formulation. Repetition of “make decisions” and “young people” also limits flexibility. Aim for precise, neutral academic wording and vary repeated terms without changing your meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses and conditional structures, as in “If parents are the ones making choices for them…” and “as they would know that it was their decision.” Most sentences remain understandable, and errors do not generally prevent the reader from following your argument. Some grammatical problems are noticeable, however. “Although there are some people who believe…” is an incomplete dependent clause, and “The ability to think on their toes” is a fragment. In “kids … end up as either introverts or someone who lacks confidence,” the plural subject does not match the singular “someone.” Review sentence completeness, agreement and punctuation, especially when using longer sentences or rhetorical questions.

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