Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-17

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)

Nowadays individuals are arguing that primary schools pay a lot of attention to the formal methods of learning. 1 partially agree with this point of view, however 1 think play is extremely crucial in the classroom full of primary students.

To begin with, formal learning plays an important role, since it teaches the student about being disciplined and respectful to everyone. Discipline and respect are two most important skills we need in our life that schools teaches us in a way of formal learning. Getting into details, these skills make people succeed in their lives. If we look at the example of successfull people today they all have these two qualities in common.

Moreover formal learning helps us to test the ability of a student by conducting an exam in a formal way, which shows us how much has a student learnt and how much is the student capable of doing.

On the other hand, I believe that too fo yual education is not the best way of learning. Considering the stage of the life in which primary students belong, we need to realize that fun is a crucial part of it. Being extremely formal blocks that fun from a student's life. So instead of schools being strict about formal ways of learning they should promote fun methods of teaching. For example, mind games other other video games, colours, paints and other activities will also teach student but in an enjoyable way. These activities will also promote the important skills such as social skills, creative skills and other beneficial skills we need in our daily lives.

Furthermore, if we consider it deeply it will also prevent boredom and will motivate the student to have a passion for lifelong learning. last but not the least, play in the primary classroom has a huge importance on it's own. which gives the student this freedom to enjoy learning.

In conclusion, formal learning has it's importance till some extent but sometimes it is a necessity to be informal. And schools should be focused at both of the methods of learning

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 mention of discipline and social skills, though some arguments, like the link between formal exams and student capability, are slightly under-developed. The essay provides a balanced view, supporting the necessity of formal structure while advocating for the integration of play. To reach a higher band, the student should provide more specific, concrete examples rather than general statements about 'successful people' or 'mind games'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main arguments. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the phrase 'if we consider it deeply' which lacks a clear antecedent. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'disciplined', 'lifelong learning', and 'formal methods'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'too fo yual education' (likely a typo for 'too formal') and 'test the ability of a student'. The range is sufficient for the task, but lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. Spelling errors like 'successfull' also occur, though they do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('schools teaches us'), incorrect use of apostrophes ('it's importance'), and awkward phrasing ('the stage of the life in which primary students belong'). Punctuation is occasionally inconsistent, with some sentences starting with lowercase letters or missing necessary commas. While these errors do not prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to limit the score to a 6.0.

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

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