Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-29

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that physical education classes are an important part of a child's education. Others believe that it is more important to focus on academics during school time.

Discuss both these views, and give your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Some people argue that physical education should be an essential part of children's scholling, while others believe that students should more focus on ther school time studying academic subjects. Although academic education is undoubteldly important for children's future careers, I believe that physical education should also have a significant place in school curriculum because it contributes to both physical and mental development.

Out of all the arguments,, one of the main benefits of learning academic subjects in school study is that it provides valuable knowledge, which is necessary for future development. That is to say, subjects such as science, mathematics and history provide them with skills and knowledge, which is essential for higher education. If students achieve strong academic results, they may more opportunities to enter major universities and ontain professional qualifications. For instance, students who are preparing for university entrance examination may need additional lessons in subjects such as mathematics and science to achieve their goals. Moreover, through academic subjects students can learn about various languages and discipline.

On the other hand, some individuals believe that physical education is equally vital because regular exercise helps children maintain a healthy life styles. As a young age, students can develop good habits that may continue into younger age. As a result, they can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and other health problems. In addition, physical activities can improve concentration, reduce stress and teach important social skills. For example, students who participate in sports competition in schools likely more motivated, productive and fit.

In conclusion, although academic subjects are essential for children's educational and career prospects, physical education plays an important role in maintaing their health and developing valuable life skills. Therefore, I strongly believe that balanced combination of academic study and physical education is the most effective approach to children's education.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by discussing both views on whether physical education or academic subjects are more important and providing a clear, well-supported personal opinion. The introduction clearly outlines the two perspectives and the writer's stance. Body paragraph one thoroughly explains the value of academic subjects, touching upon future career prospects and higher education opportunities. Body paragraph two explores the benefits of physical education, mentioning health maintenance, chronic disease prevention, and the development of social skills and concentration. The conclusion effectively summarises the main points and reaffirms the stance that a balanced combination is best. Ideas are generally well-extended with relevant examples and explanations, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates clear logical organisation and a progression throughout the essay. Information and ideas are structured into appropriate paragraphs, with a distinct introduction, two body paragraphs exploring opposing views, and a concluding paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Out of all the arguments', 'That is to say', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand' are used to connect ideas, though some transitional phrases feel slightly mechanical or awkward (e.g., 'As a young age' instead of 'At a young age'). Referencing is generally clear, and each paragraph maintains a central topic. This performance aligns comfortably with the descriptors for Band 6.5, leaning towards Band 7 due to the clear overall progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'professional qualifications', 'university entrance examination', and 'chronic diseases'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors throughout the text, including 'scholling' instead of 'schooling', 'more focus on ther school time' instead of 'focus more on their school time', 'undoubteldly', 'ontain' instead of 'obtain', 'maintaing', and 'life styles'. While these errors do not impede communication and the writer's intent remains clear, the frequency of slips prevents the lexical score from reaching the higher bands. This is a solid Band 6.0 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional sentences ('If students achieve strong academic results...') and concessive clauses. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'students should more focus on ther school time', 'which is essential' (referring back to plural skills and knowledge), 'they may more opportunities', 'As a young age', 'continue into younger age', and 'schools likely more motivated'. Punctuation errors also appear, notably a double comma in 'arguments,,'. Despite these errors, the structures are varied and meaning is rarely obscured. This demonstrates the characteristics of Band 6.0 grammar.

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