Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-12

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people think that the fictional violence portrayed on television is harmless entertainment. Others disagree and think that it encourages violent behaviour.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The issue of fictional violence being portrayed on television has been widely debated. While it is considered by some people to be harmless entertainment, others believe that it encourages violent behaviour. This essay will discuss both views, although I believe that excessive exposure to violent content can have a negative influence on people, particularly young viewers.

On the one hand, fictional violence on television can encourage violent behaviour. Repeated exposure to aggressive scenes may make people more easily irritated, aggressive and less sensitive to others. For example, young viewers may imitate violent characters and use aggression to deal with conflicts. Therefore, such programmes can have negative social and psychological effects and may even encourage some individuals to break the law.

On the other hand, many people believe that fictional violence is simply a form of entertainment and does not directly influence people's behaviour. Most viewers understand that television programmes are fictional and can distinguish them from real-life situations. For example, people may watch action movies containing fights and violence for entertainment without becoming aggressive in their daily lives. Therefore, fictional violence should not necessarily be considered a direct cause of violent behaviour.

In conclusion, although fictional violence is generally considered harmless entertainment, I believe it can have a negative impact on children and teenagers because they may not be mature enough to distinguish fiction from reality. Therefore, restricting young people from watching highly violent programmes can protect them from such harmful influences, whereas most adults are mature enough to understand that these actions are fictional.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on fictional television violence and providing a clear personal opinion. The position is maintained throughout the essay. In the second paragraph, the writer argues that aggressive scenes 'may make people more easily irritated' and lead to young viewers imitating characters. The counter-argument in the third paragraph is also clearly developed, noting that 'most viewers understand that television programmes are fictional'. The conclusion neatly ties the arguments together by narrowing the focus to children and teenagers who may lack maturity. Ideas are supported with relevant explanations and examples, fully satisfying the requirements for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, signalled by standard cohesive phrases such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. Referencing is clear, and the flow of ideas from general statements to specific examples—such as 'young viewers may imitate violent characters'—is smooth and easy to follow. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, meaning the text meets the criteria for a solid Band 7 rating.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow for flexibility and precision. Phrases such as 'excessive exposure', 'psychological effects', and 'distinguish them from real-life situations' demonstrate a good control of collocation and topic-specific le词. There are occasional attempts at less common items, and although spelling and word choice are generally accurate, the vocabulary remains fairly standard rather than truly wide or sophisticated, fitting comfortably into Band 6.5 or a rounded Band 7 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writing demonstrates a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentence forms. For instance, the sentence 'While it is considered by some people to be harmless entertainment, others believe that it encourages violent behaviour' uses a complex subordinate clause effectively. There is good control of grammar and punctuation throughout, with frequent error-free sentences (e.g., 'Most viewers understand that television programmes are fictional and can distinguish them from real-life situations'). Minor slips are rare and do not impede communication, matching the Band 7 criteria.

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