Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-13

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 7.5)

While some parents prefer to send their children to playgroups or nurseries at the age of three or four, others choose to wait until they are old enough to start primary school. Sending children to preschool at a young age has several advantages, including early cognitive development and improved social skills, although it can also place an unnecessary academic burden on some children.

On the positive side, sending children to preschool can be beneficial for their early cognitive development. To explain this further, preschool children participate in various activities, such as solving puzzles and matching different shapes and pictures, which can help develop their thinking and problem-solving abilities. For instance, in China, the government provides free preschool programs for young children, which can help them develop important skills before they begin formal schooling. Secondly, children can learn how to communicate and interact with others at preschool. By participating in group activities and playing with other children, they can develop social skills from an early age. Thus, these are some of the major benefits of sending children to preschool.

On the other hand, some children may feel overwhelmed by the academic demands of preschool. **Despite being exposed to educational activities at preschool, some children may find it difficult to understand or remember certain concepts because their brains are still developing.** For example, my cousin did not enjoy attending preschool because he found the educational activities boring and had difficulty remembering things when he was only three years old. Therefore, introducing too much academic work at such a young age may create unnecessary pressure for some children.

In conclusion, although some children may dislike attending preschool because they find its educational activities difficult or stressful, I believe that attending preschool at a young age is generally beneficial. It can support children's cognitive development and help them develop important social skills before they enter primary school.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear discussion of both advantages and disadvantages. The position is consistent throughout the essay. Ideas are well-developed, particularly the cognitive and social benefits, and the counter-argument regarding academic pressure is supported by a relevant personal example. The essay is well-structured, and the arguments are logically extended. To reach a higher band, you could further elaborate on the 'disadvantages' section to ensure it carries equal weight to the 'advantages' section, as the current structure is slightly imbalanced in favor of the benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical progression. Each paragraph has a central topic, and ideas are linked effectively using cohesive devices such as 'On the positive side', 'To explain this further', 'Secondly', and 'On the other hand'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different aspects of the argument. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is easy to follow. The use of referencing is generally accurate, contributing to the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. You use a range of relevant terms such as 'cognitive development', 'formal schooling', and 'academic demands'. The language is natural and precise enough to convey your points clearly. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate the score to the highest bands. However, there are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You demonstrate control over grammatical forms, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. Punctuation is used correctly to support the structure of your arguments. There are no major grammatical slips that cause confusion. To improve, you could incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or more varied subordinate clauses, to demonstrate greater flexibility in your writing.

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

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