Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-07-26

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people regard work as the most important thing in life and have little interest in anything else. Other people are more enthusiastic about their hobbies and leisure interests than their jobs.

Discuss both these attitudes and give your own opinion.

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

Student answer (Band 8.0)

While some prioritize climbing the career ladder in their lives, others are spending more energy on hobbies. I believe that we need to try to integrate our hobbies and careers into one thing.

Firstly, people who perceive work as the most important thing might have realized the importance of stability at a very early age. Although this may cause them to have little interest in other activities, increasing the chance of feeling bored, workaholics may even have more freedom to explore a variety of leisure activities after gaining financial security. For instance, Jack Ma, a well-known entrepreneur in China, has developed a wide range of hobbies after retiring. He spent the first twenty years of his life solely working on his business, and the rest of his life enjoying the fortune he earned.

Secondly, individuals who pay more attention to leisure interests may care more about a work-life balance. To illustrate this: once some people who are not so ambitious have secured job positions, they start developing hobbies, going to the gym, and focusing on other family members. As a result, the likelihood of following a healthy lifestyle and gaining a sense of satisfaction for them is far higher than that for others.

Finally, I would argue that it is of paramount importance for the general public to find what they truly want to do and to work on it. For example, my hobby is traveling and I am determined to run my own business related to tourism despite the fact that I majored in physical education, which is an irrelevant major. Because I am doing what I want to do, I rarely feel exhausted and am always full of motivation, enabling myself to achieve something in the future while enjoying each moment.

In conclusion, while some think that work is the most important thing because they are eager to gain financial security first in their lives, others are spending more time on hobbies because they want to strike a balance between their professional and personal lives. I argue that we need to further develop our hobbies to the point that we can make a living off them because this approach can help us feel more engaged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both attitudes and providing a clear personal opinion. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the reference to Jack Ma and your personal experience with tourism. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of your arguments is more balanced; for instance, the discussion on work-life balance could be expanded further to contrast more sharply with the 'work-first' mentality. Overall, the response is well-focused and directly answers the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and you use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'As a result', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. The progression of ideas is smooth. To improve, ensure that the transition between your personal example and the broader argument is seamless. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the use of referencing is generally clear, contributing to a coherent flow of information throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'climbing the career ladder', 'financial security', and 'paramount importance' are used effectively. There is some awareness of style and collocation, though some word choices are slightly repetitive or could be more sophisticated. For example, 'irrelevant major' is clear but could be replaced with more academic terminology. You avoid common errors, and your vocabulary is adequate to convey your meaning clearly and naturally throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is good. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'enabling myself to achieve', which could be phrased more naturally as 'allowing me to achieve'. However, these errors do not impede communication. You show a good command of complex structures, such as the use of 'despite the fact that' and 'while' clauses, which indicates a solid grasp of grammatical range and accuracy.

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