Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-04

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 5.0)

Some people believe that allowing children to make own choices on everyday matter such as food clothes and entertainment and also about their own wishes.

I believe that the children make their own choices that make them selfish. Children may become accustomed to prioritising their own desires rather than considering the needs and feelings of others.

Lack of discipline: If children are allowed to do whatever they want, they may struggle to follow rules and accept restrictions.

Unhealthy choices: Children might prefer junk food over healthy meals or spend excessive time playing video games instead of studying.

Lack of respect for parents: Too much freedom may lead some children to ignore parental advice and authority.

Difficulty adjusting to society: They may find it difficult to cooperate, compromise and respect other people's opinions.

On the other hand other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about maters that affect them.

I think it is he positive way to make the decisions Children learn to make decisions without depending entirely on their parents.

Building confidence: Making choices helps children trust their abilities and express their opinions.

Understanding responsibility: They learn that every decision has consequences and become more responsible for their actions.

Developing problem-solving skills: Children learn to evaluate different options and choose the most suitable one.

Discovering personal interests: They can identify their preferences, talents and hobbies.

Preparing for adulthood: Decision-making from an early age prepares children to handle important responsibilities in the future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both views and give a personal position: you argue that unrestricted choice can encourage self-centred behaviour, while decision-making can build confidence and responsibility. The examples about junk food, video games, and learning to compromise are relevant. However, most points are presented as brief headings and claims rather than explained or supported with specific examples, so the discussion remains limited and under-developed. Your opinion is also not fully clear: “I believe that the children make their own choices that make them selfish” is followed by “I think it is he positive way,” which appears to support the opposite view without explaining how you reconcile them. The response is 226 words, 24 short of the 250-word minimum; 21 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. Develop a consistent position and explain a few key points in more depth.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: it introduces the concern about children’s choices, lists reasons for that view, and then turns to the benefits of allowing decisions. Headings such as “Lack of discipline” and “Building confidence” make the main points easy to identify. However, the essay does not yet show a clear progression from one idea to the next. The lists feel disconnected, and there is little explanation linking each point to the central argument. The transition “On the other hand” signals a change of view, but the opening sentence of the second section is unclear, and the relationship between your two positions is not resolved. Use developed paragraphs with topic sentences, linking explanations, and a concluding statement that brings both views together.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “prioritising their own desires,” “parental advice and authority,” “compromise,” “consequences,” and “problem-solving skills.” These phrases help communicate the main ideas and show some ability to use vocabulary beyond basic everyday terms. However, the range is uneven and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, particularly repeated references to “choices” and “decisions.” There are also noticeable word-form, spelling, and collocation problems, such as “everyday matter,” “maters,” and “it is he positive way.” These do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall argument, but they reduce precision and fluency. Aim to use accurate collocations and vary repeated terms while keeping the language natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer structures, for example, “Children may become accustomed to prioritising their own desires rather than considering the needs and feelings of others,” and “They learn that every decision has consequences.” These sentences show that you can express cause, contrast, and explanation. However, the range is limited overall, with many points written as short fragments under headings rather than complete, connected sentences. Frequent errors also affect clarity: “allowing children to make own choices” is missing a determiner, “I believe that the children make their own choices that make them selfish” has an unclear clause structure, and “I think it is he positive way to make the decisions” is grammatically faulty. Work on articles, sentence completeness, and constructing clear complex sentences, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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