Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-13

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)

Some people argue that primary schools focus too much on formal learning. I partly agree with this statement because it is necessary for children to complete proper course for educational purpose but excessive education in class rooms create lot of problems on students development.

Furthermore, formal learning play crucial role in children development in sense of basic skills such as writing, reading, listening and speaking. Moreover these skills would be beneficial for them in future education in their working place. However, after spending all the day at classrooms students feel tiredness and stressful. They have lack of physical activities and other poor in other games.

On the other hand, playing is extremely important for the growth of students, they will be more productive after given some time to sports. Sports makes them more relaxed and feel fresh. Through games and other enjoyable activities, children can develop creativity, communication skills and the ability to work with others. For example, group games can teach children how to cooperate, share and solve problems. Physical activities can also improve their health and help them remain active. Moreover, children are often more motivated to learn when lessons involve games, pictures and practical activities rather than only textbooks.

In conclusion, although formal learning is essential in primary education, I believe that too much emphasis on academic work is inappropriate for young children. A balanced approach that combines academic lessons with play and practical activities would be more effective for their educational, social and physical development and beneficial for future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the extent of agreement regarding formal learning and the importance of play. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. Ideas are relevant, such as the benefits of play for social skills and the drawbacks of excessive academic pressure. However, the development is somewhat limited; for instance, the point about 'future education' is mentioned but not fully explored. The response covers all requirements, but the depth of analysis could be improved to reach a higher band by providing more specific examples or nuanced arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the arguments. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the vague use of 'they' in the second paragraph. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the structure supports the argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'academic work', 'social development', and 'productive'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'complete proper course' (should be 'complete a proper course') and 'other poor in other games' (which is unclear). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('in class rooms', 'at classrooms'), subject-verb agreement ('formal learning play'), and pluralization ('create lot of problems'). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'They have lack of physical activities'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to basic grammar and sentence construction is needed.

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

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