Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Write about the following topic:

Many young people choose to take a year out between finishing school and starting university in order to gain work experience or to travel. The experience of non-academic life this offers benefits the individual when they return to education.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

Student answer (Band 7.0)

I agree with the view that taking a gap-year after school in order to travel or garner work experience benefits young people when they start university. In general, taking this year out accords the students time to refresh their minds after a gruelling exam period. Additionally, the experience of non-school life can have a re-set effect on the student's views about life and the society at large.

Firstly, the agency to self-manage is important as students prepare to start university. Most of the student's previous school life was governed by a structured schedule and fixed regiment guided by stringent school rules. For example, class schedules and timing for different activities meant that students did not need to worry about planning for their day as much as when left to their own devices. The gap-year calls for the students to self-regulate, plan when to get up and how the scheduled chores for their entire day will pan out. This is good practice and can only be beneficial when they start university.

Secondly, social interactions during this break are more natural and prepare students for university. For example, students may learn etiquette and social skills useful for interacting as young adults without the need for absolute adult supervision. Students are therefore able to better forge inter-personal relationships during their university studies.

Furthermore, most university courses need work-related experience during internships Taking a year out can help students acquire skills needed for this. For example, a student who spends the year out lending a hand in the family business before proceeding to do their business degree, is likely to learn how to deal with customers. During their work-placement later in their course, they can easily transfer these invaluable skills.

In conclusion, the experience of non-academic life during the gap-year can only serve as an advantage to students when they return to education. Not only does it allow time for mental rejuvenation, but also equips students with much-needed social and work skills required later during their studies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

Your position is clear from the opening—“I agree”—and remains consistent in the conclusion. You address several relevant benefits of a gap year, including mental rest, self-management, social skills and work experience, and support these with examples such as helping in a family business. This gives the response a clear, relevant argument. To develop it further, explain more precisely how each benefit improves university performance: for instance, connect planning daily chores to managing independent study and deadlines. Some claims, such as “most university courses need work-related experience during internships,” are broad and would be stronger if qualified or supported. Overall, the main ideas are extended, though a little more specific explanation would make the support more convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay is organised clearly: the introduction states your view, each body paragraph develops a distinct benefit, and the conclusion returns to the central argument. Sequencing phrases such as “Firstly,” “Secondly” and “Furthermore” make the progression easy to follow, while examples generally appear in the paragraphs where they are relevant. The links between ideas are also clear, particularly the move from self-management to university study. To make cohesion more flexible, reduce reliance on numbered transitions and use more precise links that show cause and effect. The paragraph about social interaction, for example, could explain more explicitly how those skills support collaboration or settling into university life. There is also a missing full stop after “internships,” which briefly disrupts the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a good range of vocabulary for the topic, including “gruelling exam period,” “self-regulate,” “stringent school rules” and “mental rejuvenation.” These choices show some awareness of formal style and help express the argument with reasonable precision. A few less common expressions are not fully natural or precise: “a re-set effect on the student's views” is awkward, and “the agency to self-manage” does not convey the intended idea as naturally as “ability to manage oneself.” “Fixed regiment” is also an unsuitable collocation in this context. Aim for accurate, natural combinations rather than choosing elevated wording for its own sake. More precise vocabulary for academic independence and social adjustment would strengthen the discussion further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a range of sentence forms, including complex clauses such as “For example, a student who spends the year out lending a hand in the family business…” and the concluding “Not only… but also…” construction. Many sentences are controlled and easy to understand, and punctuation is generally effective. A few errors remain. In “Most of the student's previous school life,” the plural meaning calls for “students’”; “the scheduled chores … will pan out” shifts awkwardly into the future within a general explanation; and “during internships Taking a year out” needs a full stop or other clear boundary. Check possessive forms, tense consistency and sentence boundaries during proofreading. These are limited issues, but correcting them would make the otherwise varied grammar more consistently accurate.

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