Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-16

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 7.0)

Some people believe that work should be the most important part of life, while others think that hobbies and leisure activities are more valuable than their careers. Both attitudes have their own advantages, although I believe that people should maintain a healthy balance between work and personal interests.

On the one hand, making work a major priority can bring several benefits. People who are highly committed to their careers are more likely to develop their skills, achieve promotions and earn a higher income. For example, doctors, engineers and business owners often have to work long hours to become successful in their professions. In addition, being dedicated to work can provide people with a strong sense of achievement and purpose. However, focusing almost entirely on work may reduce the time available for family, friends and personal development, which can negatively affect overall quality of life.

On the other hand, some people prefer to spend more time on hobbies and leisure activities. Activities such as reading, playing sports, travelling or painting can help people relax and reduce stress after a demanding day. Furthermore, hobbies can improve creativity and allow individuals to develop interests outside their professional lives. For instance, someone who regularly plays football may become healthier while also building friendships. Nevertheless, giving too much importance to leisure can sometimes result in poor career development and financial difficulties.

In my opinion, neither work nor leisure should completely dominate a person's life. A successful career is important because it provides financial security and opportunities for personal growth, but hobbies and relationships are equally necessary for happiness and mental well-being. Therefore, people should work hard while reserving sufficient time for activities that they genuinely enjoy.

Overall, a balanced lifestyle is more sustainable than dedicating one's entire life to either work or leisure.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both attitudes towards work and leisure while clearly presenting a well-developed personal opinion. The introduction outlines the two contrasting views and states your stance on maintaining a balance. Body paragraph one thoroughly explores the advantages and potential drawbacks of prioritizing work, citing specific examples such as doctors and engineers. Body paragraph two equally examines the benefits and disadvantages of focusing on hobbies and leisure activities. The conclusion successfully synthesizes these points, reinforcing your overall position. Ideas are well-extended and supported throughout with relevant examples, meeting all the requirements of Band 7 and leaning towards higher descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Your essay demonstrates clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with a well-structured introduction, followed by two balanced body paragraphs representing opposing views, a cohesive personal opinion paragraph, and a brief concluding summary. You use cohesive devices very effectively to guide the reader, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', and 'Nevertheless'. Paragraphing is used skillfully and appropriately. The only minor limitation preventing a higher score is that some transitional phrases follow a standard formulaic pattern, but overall flow and referencing are consistently clear and natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary range used in this essay is sufficient for flexibility and precision. You successfully incorporate less common items and collocations with good awareness of style, such as 'financial security', 'mental well-being', 'career development', and 'overall quality of life'. Word choice is generally accurate and appropriate for an academic context, allowing you to convey precise meanings. There are no notable spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. While vocabulary is natural and fluent, it occasionally relies on standard academic phrases rather than highly sophisticated or nuanced uncommon lexical chunks, fitting comfortably into Band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

This essay displays a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with strong control and accuracy. You successfully integrate conditional and participial clauses, such as 'People who are highly committed to their careers are more likely to develop their skills...' and 'Activities such as reading, playing sports, travelling or painting can help people relax...'. The majority of your sentences are completely error-free, and punctuation is handled very well throughout. Grammar errors are practically non-existent, and the occasional complex construction does not lead to any structural awkwardness. Your command of grammar strongly aligns with the Band 8 descriptor.

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

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