Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-01

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)

A small proportion of people believe that at early classes in school children are given education formally. I completely agree with this statement, because all the schools follow the same course outlines and enforce rote learning. Additionally, it is also very important for children to play alongside their studies as it helps them to perform better in learning complex concepts.

In almost every primary school teachers dont put in efforts to make children understand the concepts. The majority of instructors spend their time to make students learn different topics by repetition instead of giving them examples or showing visuals. As a result, a large number of students lose their interest in studies at an early age. For example, a survey conducted in South Asia concluded that the majority of students did not like certain subjects because they had to cram them instead of understanding .

Many students make friends in schools. Therefore, they want to spend their time with them; however, if schools do not allow children to play, they may try to find other ways to skip classes and engage in sports. Moreover, their interest in going to schools will also reduce. On the other hand, if children are supported to play different sports, they will also start to enjoy doing other activities such as attending classes. Moreover, many sports require talent to be identified during childhood in order to succeed in them. After identification of such talents they can become professionals and make their country proud. For example, in all governmental schools in Pakistan cricket is being played at grassroots level; hence, many skilled cricketers come from this system and represent the country at international stages.

There is no doubt that education has many benefits; nevertheless, it is not possible to force a person to study. Children should be guided and given proper counselling to make them realize that they should carry their ambitions and study side by side. Thus, when the time for transition to a career occurs, they can choose a better profession for themselves.

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 outset. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the argument about rote learning is relevant, the transition to the importance of play is a bit abrupt. The example regarding cricket in Pakistan is specific and supports the argument well, but the final paragraph drifts slightly into general advice about career choices rather than focusing on the primary school context. To reach a higher band, ensure that every paragraph directly reinforces the link between play, learning, and the primary school environment.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'As a result', 'Therefore', and 'On the other hand' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the use of 'Moreover' twice in the third paragraph makes the flow feel a bit forced. Referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother to better integrate the two parts of the prompt. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their opinions clearly. There are some attempts at less common collocations, such as 'grassroots level' and 'complex concepts'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'at early classes' instead of 'in the early years of schooling' and 'cram them' instead of 'rote memorization'. While the meaning is always clear, the vocabulary lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score. Expanding the range of academic vocabulary would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'teachers dont put in efforts' (missing apostrophe and awkward phrasing) and 'in all governmental schools in Pakistan cricket is being played' (tense inconsistency). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors, such as the space before the period in 'understanding .'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring greater accuracy in subject-verb agreement and tense usage would improve this score.

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

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