Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-15

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 often argued that primary educational institutions put more emphasis on a typical way of learning approach and i completely agree with this statements because they think of this as the most effective method. However, i believe it is crucial for children to learn and have extracurricular activities in schools to improve their cognitive and social development.

The reason behind primary schools focusing more on formal way of learning is that, they think it is the best way to keep children attached to education. Formal education makes students learn a set fixed lesson and creates pressure for examinations, leaving them with no choice but to study for better grades. There is no doubt that, fundamental lessons at primary level create foundation for their future and its important but the focus is on only that and that is the issue. For example, primary schools in Bangladesh teaches children to memorize a whole paragraph even if they do not understand the meaning because they focus more on typical learning method but this could easily be made interactive to understand and learn in different ways.

Nevertheless, playing and participating in various educational extracurricular activities are very important for children at primary level because they help improve their mental, physical and social growth. When children are attending such activities alongside studies, they learn communication, adaptability, discipline, social norms, make new friends which boosts their confidence. Moreover, playing is also a form of exercise so it improves their physical growth as well. For example, surveys show that, primary schools that blend extracurricular with formal lessons, observe smarter and more confident students who are more active in competitions and do better in future endeavors compared to schools that lack this. Thus it is important to mix play with learning at primary schools.

In conclusion, whilst it is true that formal education is necessary for fundamental growth but i believe there should be a perfect balance of learning and playing at the same time because it develops physical and mental growth for children from a very young age.

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 and supported with examples, such as the mention of rote memorization in Bangladesh and the benefits of extracurricular activities. However, the development is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the second and third paragraphs, where the benefits of play are restated in similar terms. To reach a higher band, the student should aim to provide more nuanced analysis or distinct arguments rather than reiterating the same points about social and physical growth.

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 two main ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Nevertheless', 'Moreover', and 'Thus' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing (e.g., 'they think of this' in the introduction lacks a clear antecedent). Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the essay maintains a coherent structure throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common items like 'extracurricular activities', 'cognitive development', and 'future endeavors'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'typical way of learning approach' (redundant) and 'keep children attached to education' (unnatural). Spelling is generally accurate, but the lack of capitalization for 'I' and the start of sentences is a recurring issue that detracts from the professional tone of the writing. Expanding the range of precise academic vocabulary would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the student attempts complex sentences, there are frequent errors in punctuation and grammar, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'primary schools in Bangladesh teaches') and missing articles (e.g., 'create foundation'). The persistent failure to capitalize the pronoun 'I' and the start of sentences is a significant error that affects the overall accuracy. While communication is never impeded, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. More attention to proofreading for basic grammatical conventions is recommended.

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