Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-19

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

A huge number of students choose to study English independently on a self- study basis rather than attend a formal course. However, without the assistance of a teacher, students often find it difficult to manage their studies.

To what extent do you agree or disagree ?

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

In contemporary society, many students choose to study English independently due to affordable online classes and accessible materials. However, without a teacher, students often find it difficult to manage their studies. While I acknowledge that self-study is cost-effective, I believe the lack of guidance makes it difficult for most learners to succeed.

One of the major reasons why students decide to study English independently is because it is affordable. Most study materials are available online with little restrictions. Online classes can also be a good option for them because they can learn at the comfort of their home. This trend is cheaper compared to traditional classroom, which motivates most learners to choose this method. For example, a student who wants to take IELTS test can acess all the learning materials online and they can do reasearch using any website, which is cheaper compared to attending a physical IELTS English test class. As a result, self-study is significantly cost-effective.

Nevertheless, it would be unrealistic to overlook the fact that a teacher is usefull in managing learners. Studying without a tutor can be difficult because some learners may need guidance. For instance, if learners who want to be public speakers read on their own, nobody will be there to help them in pronounciation and vocabulary use. As a result, they may not attain their set goals.

To conclude, although a huge number of students choose to study English independently on a self- study basis rather than attend a formal course, I believe it might be difficult for them to manage their studies without the assistance of a teacher because they need a feedback in their assingments.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, exploring both the cost-effectiveness of independent study and the necessity of teachers for guidance and management. The student clearly states a position in the introduction ("I believe the lack of guidance makes it difficult for most learners to succeed") and maintains this stance throughout the essay. Ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as comparing independent IELTS research with formal classroom instruction and highlighting the need for pronunciation support for public speakers. However, some arguments could be further developed with deeper analysis. Overall, the task is well-addressed, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0, and is best placed at Band 6.5 due to slight under-development in the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with an introduction, moving to the benefits of self-study, then the counter-argument regarding teachers, and concluding appropriately. Cohesive devices such as "While I acknowledge", "One of the major reasons", "Nevertheless", and "To conclude" are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, and referencing is generally clear. Although a few transitions are somewhat standard, the overall structure and cohesion reflect a solid Band 7 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as "cost-effective", "contemporary society", and "unrealistic to overlook". However, there are notable spelling errors ("acess" instead of access, "reasearch" instead of research, "usefull" instead of useful, "pronounciation" instead of pronunciation) and minor word choice issues (e.g., "at the comfort of their home" instead of "in the comfort"). These lexical slips and spelling inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching Band 7, but communication is never impeded, placing the writing comfortably at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and relative clauses (e.g., "if learners who want to be public speakers read on their own..."). While there are frequent error-free sentences, several grammatical errors persist, such as missing articles or pluralisation issues (e.g., "need a feedback in their assingments"). Punctuation and word form errors ("assigningments") also occur. These errors do not impede communication, but they demonstrate a lack of consistent control over more complex structures, making Band 6.0 the most accurate descriptor.

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

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