Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that children learn better when they are placed in classes with children of similar academic abilities. Others believe that children learn better when they are in classes with children representing a diverse range of academic abilities.

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)

In this contemporary world, learning has become essential for survival. Some people believe that children learn better when they study with students who have the same academic skills, while others argue that children learn better in classes where they have different abilities. In this essay, I will discuss both views and give my perspective in ensuing paragraphs.

On the one hand, it is easy for children with similar abilities to learn easily together. Even teachers can also make lessons according to students' skills. For instance, if all the students are good at history, the teacher can ask difficult questions to all the children. In the same way, weaker students can get enough time and support from teachers to understand the subjects. Therefore, students may learn at the same speed if they have the same knowledge and abilities.

On the other hand, students with mixed academic abilities have more advantages compared to similiar one. Firstly, students with strong academic skills can help weaker students by explaining hard topics. Secondly, weaker students get motivated during their studies while looking at others doing well in their studies. Students can also learn important skills such as, teamwork, communication and helping others.

Taking everything into consideration, although there are different opinions about children's academic abilities. I personally belive that children with diverse academic skills learn more in classes compared to others. This is because it offers more advantages and brings positive effects on the long run.

In conclusion, classes with the same skills make their teacher's life easy during teaching, but I believe that mixed-ability classes are better because students can learn from each other.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on academic grouping and presenting a clear personal position throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported. For example, in the second body paragraph, the candidate explains how teachers can tailor lessons for students with similar abilities, such as asking difficult history questions. Similarly, the third paragraph outlines specific advantages of mixed-ability classes, including peer tutoring and the development of soft skills like teamwork and communication. However, some arguments tend to generalise slightly, and the conclusion is somewhat repetitive with a duplicated thesis statement and a brief final remark. Overall, the task is successfully covered, aligning well with the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving appropriately from the introduction to the discussion of similar abilities, mixed abilities, and a personal conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Firstly', and 'Secondly'. However, referencing and paragraphing show minor weaknesses, particularly towards the end where two short concluding paragraphs essentially repeat the same point ('Taking everything into consideration...' followed immediately by 'In conclusion...'). This creates a slightly disjointed final impression. Nevertheless, the overall arrangement is coherent, making it easy for the reader to follow the writer's line of thought.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. There are attempts to use less common items and academic phrases, such as 'contemporary world', 'academic abilities', and 'peer tutoring concepts'. However, there are noticeable word choice errors and awkward collocations. For instance, the phrase 'similiar one' in the third paragraph contains a spelling error and poor referencing, and 'bring positive effects on the long run' should be 'have positive effects in the long run'. Furthermore, words like 'easily' are repeated closely together. While these lexical slips do not impede communication, they reflect a Band 6 level where vocabulary control is sometimes inconsistent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating a reasonable command of grammar. Examples of successful complex structures include conditional clauses ('For instance, if all the students are good at history...') and subordinate clauses. However, there are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips throughout the text. For example, the sentence 'I personally belive that children with diverse academic skills learn more in classes compared to others' contains a spelling error ('belive') and a punctuation fault where a comma is incorrectly placed before the main clause following an introductory phrase. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout, supporting a solid Band 6.0 score.

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

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