Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-21

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 6.5)

There has long been a debate on whether primary schools should give children time to play along with formal learning. In my perspective, children should be given proper time to play as well as learn in the primary school classroom.

It is worth highlighting, that research has clearly shown that children tend to learn more while playing instead of traditional learning. There are a lot of values that children can learn only through play for instance, empathy, cooperation, problem solving and team work. Formal education can only impart knowledge about certain subjects, which in some cases do not apply to real world scenarios. Additionally, giving children time to play also encourages them to attend classes regularly.

A prevalent viewpoint is that playing helps better understand and apply knowledge of traditional subjects in real life scenarios. This view has already been widely accepted and is currently applied in schools, where children learn while playing for instance, using blocks and toys to understand shapes, numbers and voices. With the passage of time more and more educational toys are being manufactured and it highlights the importance of playing as a form of learning.

Some people might argue that giving children time to play in classrooms might distract them from the real purpose, which is learning. It is also debated that allocating time for play in classrooms might reduce the decorum of the classrooms and children might not learn the etiquettes of a formal setting.

Conversely, the benefits of allocating time to play outweights it's drawbacks. It has been accepted by various elite educational institutions, child psychologists and educationists that play is equally important like learning if not more.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the prompt, successfully discussing the extent of formal learning in primary schools and the importance of play alongside learning. A clear position is established early in the introduction stating that 'children should be given proper time to play as well as learn'. The ideas presented are generally relevant, such as how play fosters empathy, cooperation, and problem-solving. However, some arguments could benefit from further extension and specific examples. For instance, the mention of using 'blocks and toys to understand shapes, numbers and voices' is a good example, but the overall development tends to be slightly brief in places. Nevertheless, the response covers the prompt fully, earning a Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression of ideas from the introduction through body paragraphs discussing benefits and counterarguments, concluding with a final stance. Paragraphing is utilised adequately, separating distinct ideas into logical blocks. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Additionally', 'Conversely', and 'For instance', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, although the pronoun usage in the final sentence ('outweights it's drawbacks') exhibits a slight mechanical flaw in referencing the plural concept. Overall, the organizational structure is clear and supports the flow of information well, deserving a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'formal education', 'real world scenarios', 'child psychologists', and 'educationists'. There are some less common lexical items attempted, though occasional inaccuracies occur in word choice and spelling, such as the misspelling 'outweights' instead of 'outweighs' and the incorrect apostrophe in 'it's' instead of 'its'. Furthermore, phrasing like 'reduce the decorum' is slightly unnatural in this context. Despite these minor vocabulary and spelling errors, the language used does not impede communication, comfortably securing a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like relative clauses ('which in some cases do not apply') and conditional ideas. While there is variety in sentence structures, there are notable grammatical and punctuation errors present. For example, there is an unnecessary comma in 'It is worth highlighting, that research has clearly shown', and punctuation slips occur near the end of the text. Additionally, subject-verb agreement or word form slips appear, such as 'important like learning' instead of 'as important as learning'. These errors occur with some frequency, but they rarely impede overall communication, placing this response at Band 6.0.

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

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