Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-21
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In many parts of the world girls and boys are educated together in co-educational or mixed schools. Some people think that girls and boys benefit from being educated separately in single-sex schools. To what extent do you agree with this view?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write at least 250 words.
Student answer (Band 7.5)
In many countries, boys and girls study together in the same schools, while some people believe that separate schools provide greater benefits. Although single-sex education may have some advantages, I believe that co-educational schools are generally more beneficial for students.
One advantage of single-sex schools is that students may experience fewer distractions in the classroom. They may also feel more comfortable participating in lessons without worrying about impressing students of the opposite sex. As a result, some students could become more confident and concentrate better on their studies. For example, teenagers who are easily distracted by social relationships may find it easier to focus in a single-sex environment.
However, I believe that studying with both genders better prepares young people for adult life. In universities and workplaces, men and women normally have to communicate and cooperate with each other. Co-educational schools give students the opportunity to develop these skills from an early age. They can learn how to respect different opinions, work as a team and communicate with people of both genders. This can be particularly useful when students later enter professional environments.
Another benefit is that mixed schools can help reduce gender stereotypes. When boys and girls regularly work together, they can see that academic abilities and interests are not necessarily related to gender. For instance, girls can participate confidently in science or technology activities, while boys can perform equally well in subjects traditionally associated with girls.
In conclusion, although single-sex schools may help some students concentrate better, I believe co-educational schools offer greater long-term benefits. They provide academic opportunities while also helping young people develop communication, teamwork and social skills that are important in adult life.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have clearly stated your position in the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. The arguments are relevant and well-developed, particularly the contrast between the short-term focus of single-sex education and the long-term social benefits of co-education. Each paragraph is supported by clear reasoning and illustrative examples, such as the mention of professional environments and the reduction of gender stereotypes. The ideas are extended logically, demonstrating a clear understanding of the task requirements. To reach a higher band, you could further elaborate on the 'distractions' mentioned in the second paragraph to provide a more nuanced counter-argument.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the transition between the counter-argument and your own position is smooth, using appropriate linking phrases like 'However' and 'In conclusion'. Cohesive devices such as 'For example', 'As a result', and 'For instance' are used effectively to connect ideas within and between sentences. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points. The flow of information is natural and easy to follow throughout the response, meeting the requirements for a high band in this criterion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases such as 'gender stereotypes', 'professional environments', and 'traditionally associated with' show a good command of topic-specific language. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the context, it is generally functional rather than sophisticated. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or less common lexical items (e.g., instead of 'generally more beneficial', you might use 'predominantly advantageous' or 'conducive to holistic development'). There are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response displays a good variety of complex structures, such as conditional clauses ('If...') and subordinate clauses ('Although single-sex education may have...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively to convey your arguments. The grammar is consistently accurate, with no significant errors that cause confusion. To move toward a higher band, you could experiment with more sophisticated grammatical structures, such as inversion or more varied passive constructions, to demonstrate greater flexibility.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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