Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-05

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 the recent times, many students are shifting their focus towards preparing English on their own instead of attending a formal course. While some contend that managing studies would be challeging without the guidence of the teacher, I partly agree to this statement and believe that is largely depends on the individual capabilities and other factors.

On the one hand, a teacher plays an indispensable role in assisting the students' in their studies. While the final duty of effective preparation and scoring well in their studies largely depends on the individual's potential, a tutor guides them the through the most effecient approach and various tips to study and score higher in their studies. For instance, a teacher can provide few tips and strategies from their own experience that are helpful in gaining an impressive score and also motivates them in improving their skills. Moreover, enrolling in a formal course enables to interact with other students and share the information with each other. However, this method also poses certain drawbacks. Some individuals fail to cope up with the group studies and tend to focus well on their studies when prepared individually.

On the other hand, a self-study would be beneficial in certain scenarios. For example, a person with good cognitive abilities and good internet facilities and resources can manage studying independently without the need for attending a conventional course. Furthermore, some students who fail to afford a formal course, can choose to study on their own and improve their English with the help of free online tools. Additionally, students can build from their own experiences without a huge dependence on others for their success.

To conclude, while it is helpful to have teacher's guidance and support by attending a formal course to learn English, it is not impossible to study without a tutor's assistance. Choosing to study individually on a self-preperation basis depends on the individual's capabilities and other financial factors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting a clear position throughout that acknowledges both sides of independent versus formal study. The main ideas are generally well extended and supported, such as when discussing the cognitive and financial benefits of self-study, alongside the advantages of teacher-led interaction. However, there is a slight tendency to over-generalise and some ideas, particularly the counter-argument regarding group studies, are somewhat under-developed compared to the rest of the essay. To reach a higher level, all supporting arguments would need deeper elaboration and more precise justification without repetitive phrasing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

There is a clear logical organisation and progression throughout the essay, with a distinct introduction, balanced body paragraphs, and a clear conclusion. The writer makes effective use of standard cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude' to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each main idea grouped logically into its own section. However, some cohesive devices are occasionally slightly mechanical, and referencing could be smoother in places. To achieve a higher standard, the transitions between sentences could display even greater flexibility and seamless integration.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common lexical items such as 'indispensable', 'cognitive abilities', and 'conventional course'. However, there are some noticeable lexical and spelling inaccuracies that prevent a higher band, such as 'preparing English' instead of 'learning English', 'challeging', 'guidence', 'effecient', and 'self-preperation'. While these errors do not seriously impede communication, they reflect the characteristics of this level where vocabulary control lacks full precision. To improve, the student needs to use less common items with greater awareness of style and collocation, and eliminate spelling slips.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordination with structures like 'While some contend that...' and 'For example, a person with... can manage...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including unnecessary articles and prepositions such as 'in the recent times', 'assisting the students' in their studies', 'guides them the through', and 'that is largely depends'. Nevertheless, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the argument without difficulty. To reach the next level, the writer would need to produce a higher frequency of error-free complex sentences and exercise tighter control over grammatical patterns.

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

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