Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-12

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some parents send their children to preschool when they are three or four years old. Other parents wait until their children are old enough for primary school before they send them to school.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of sending children to preschool at a young age.
Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Preschool is an important institution and plays a vital role in the development of our children. Deciding when it is appropriate to send children to preschool depends on parents. Some parents send their young ones when they reach three or four years while others prefer to wait until they are old enough before sending them. In my opinion, all depends upon the situation of the parents especialy with working parents looking for a safe place to cater for their dear ones.

There are several advantages that parents consider before sending them to preschool as the majority of their childhood finishes outside the home. The first one is mainly because parents nowadays are working, hence they look for a secure place where they can surrender their children during their working hours. The preschool is equipped with experienced teachers and nannies who will look after them like a second mother.

Another reason is that the little ones will be looked after by providing them with their food on time. The teachers will organise some educational activities to develop the mental and physical needs of the children. Self-development is essential during this early stage of their life and getting involved with other children will help them to discover the essence of bonding.

However, it is out of obligation that parents send them to school. The difficult lifestyle has made parents to work and most couple nowadays stay separately from in-laws, thus sending the children to nursery has become a norm. The main disadvantage is mostly the few moments that parents spend with their children. This is distressing but it is the choice they have made to offer them a better future. Another negative impact is the cost associated with it. Nursery and good education in todays era is costly and parents are ready to make this sacrifice to offer them a better future.

To conclude, it depends upon the needs and situation of parents. To gain something they have to forego another. Therefore, working might be a solution for some of them while others may consider it to be a too great sacrifice.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses both advantages and disadvantages and gives a relevant overall view: preschool can help working parents, while time apart and expense are drawbacks. The points about supervision, meals, activities, and social bonding are pertinent. However, the discussion is unevenly developed. The advantages receive several related points, whereas the disadvantages are mainly stated rather than explained; for example, the effect of reduced time with parents is not illustrated, and the cost point is not supported with a specific example. The opening also focuses on parents’ circumstances more than on whether early preschool benefits children. To strengthen the response, explain the effects of early attendance on children and develop each drawback with a reason or example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, a paragraph on advantages, a paragraph on disadvantages, and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “The first one,” “Another reason,” and “However” help readers follow the main direction. Some connections are less clear or mechanical, though. The sentence beginning “There are several advantages that parents consider before sending them to preschool as the majority of their childhood finishes outside the home” combines ideas without making their relationship clear. In the final body paragraph, “However, it is out of obligation” does not clearly signal the shift to disadvantages. Use more precise links between claims and explanations, and ensure each paragraph develops one central point in a logical sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for discussing childcare and includes some useful topic-specific expressions, such as “secure place,” “educational activities,” “self-development,” and “bonding.” Meaning is generally clear, but some word choices and collocations are imprecise or repetitive. For instance, “surrender their children” sounds as though parents are giving them up, rather than arranging care, and “the majority of their childhood finishes outside the home” is an awkward way to describe time spent in preschool. “Dear ones” and repeated references to a “better future” are also less suitable or specific in this context. Aim for more natural phrasing and a wider range of precise terms for childcare, development, and family costs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “while,” “where,” and “that,” and the main ideas remain understandable. Some grammatical errors and awkward constructions persist. For example, “all depends upon the situation” needs a clear subject, and “most couple nowadays stay separately” has problems with number and sentence construction. In “The teachers will organise some educational activities to develop the mental and physical needs,” the structure does not clearly express what is being developed. There are also issues with articles and possessives, as in “in todays era.” Review subject–verb agreement, sentence completeness, and possessive forms, then check that each complex sentence expresses a clear relationship between its clauses.

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.