Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people argue that primary schools focus too much on formal learning.

To what extent do you agree with this opinion?

How important do you think it is for children to play as well as learn in the primary school classroom?

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

Student answer (Band 6.0)

It is argued that primary schools often concentrate on formal learning rather than learning through different activities. I strongly disagree with the statement because I believe activities can make the coursework more interesting and helps a student get more exposure.

Primary school children should be allowed to play along with learning the coursework because this can help them generate more interest towards studies. Students usually study to achieve high grades and not for actual learning. However, if schools let them play the games once they complete an assignment then children would focus on that task properly. This way they can enhance their knowledge. For instance, if a maths lesson is about numbers then teachers can conduct activities which involve numbers to help them understand better.

On the other hand, activities along with learning can also increase children's exposure. They get to interact with other students and learn from them. They get to see how other students play and which approach they use to win the game. This helps in increasing thier cogninitive skills which can ultimately help in learning the coursework without much effort. For example, children playing chess may learn from the opponents strategy. However, formal learning is also essential as it helps student to focus solely on studies but planning some different activities along with it can be more meaningful for a student.

In conclusion, I believe primary schools should introduce plays along with learning course material as it can help a student develop interest and gain more exposure by interacting with other students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you disagree that primary schools focus too much on formal learning and support combining play with coursework. You address both the value of play and the continued importance of formal study, using relevant examples such as number-based activities and chess. However, the two benefits—greater interest and increased exposure—are explained somewhat generally. For instance, the claim that children focus properly after being allowed to play would be stronger if you explained how this improves learning, rather than mainly grades or task completion. The discussion of how peer interaction develops cognitive skills also needs a clearer link to classroom learning. Develop these points with more specific reasoning and examples to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction states your view, two body paragraphs present benefits of play, and the conclusion restates your position. The examples are placed near the ideas they support, which helps the reader follow the discussion. However, the progression within the second body paragraph is less controlled: it moves from interaction to observing how others play, then to cognitive skills, without fully explaining the links between these points. Connectors such as “On the other hand” suggest a contrast, although the paragraph continues to support your main position. Use transitions that show addition or development, and make references such as “this” more precise. These changes would make the cohesion less mechanical and the argument easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “formal learning,” “coursework,” “exposure,” and “cognitive skills.” These choices help communicate your main ideas, and the examples make the meaning clear. Some wording is repetitive or imprecise, however: “activities along with learning” appears more than once, while “get more exposure” does not specify what children are exposed to. There are also spelling errors in “thier” and “cogninitive,” and some unnatural collocations, such as “generate more interest towards studies.” Aim for more precise education-related vocabulary and check spelling carefully. More natural phrasing would make your ideas clearer and show greater control of word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures such as “if schools let them play … then children would focus” and a relative clause in “activities which involve numbers.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. In the opening, “activities can make the coursework more interesting and helps” has a subject–verb agreement problem; use “help.” Articles and singular/plural forms also need attention in “helps student to focus,” which should be “helps students focus,” and “the opponents strategy,” which needs a possessive apostrophe. Review agreement, articles, and possessives, and proofread longer sentences for accuracy. Greater consistency would strengthen control while preserving your range of structures.

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