Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

It is important for children, young adults, working people and the retired to have at least one hobby.

What's your opinion about this?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 7.5)

It is considered imperative for people of all demographics to possess at least one hobby. I strongly agree that hobbies are crucial activities in one's life, as they not only support cognitive and social development, but also support physical and mental well-being at all ages.

Extracurricular activities in children and young adults support cognitive and social development. When youngsters engage in hobbies such as arts or sports, they develop cognitive and social skills, which can contribute to their personality development while providing them with a constructive alternative to screentime. For instance, if children have a hobby of playing the piano, participating in group music sessions helps in their personal and social development. Hence, hobbies encourage overall development in growing children and young individuals.

Similarly, hobbies can act as a stress-buster for working and retired people. By practicing at least one recreational activity, individuals can alleviate the tedium of their daily lives and recharge themselves. For example, when employees spend some time on weekends on their favourite hobby, it allows them to unwind and relax, and prepares them to return to their professional duties more refereshed. Furthermore, the retirees can keep themselves busy while pursuing their favorite pastime, which prevents them from feeling isolated and depressed. Moreover, hobbies with physical activities can support their muscles and keep them physically active. Thus, pursuing hobbies is vital for both working and older individuals' physical and mental well-being.

In conclusion, I firmly believe having a hobby is beneficial at every stage of life. While hobbies assist in the development of children and young adults, they can also allow middle-aged and elderly people to unwind from the daily boredom and maintain their physical and emotional well-being. Therefore, people should make a conscious effort to devote some of their leisure time to activities they genuinely enjoy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position and supporting it with relevant examples for all age groups mentioned. Your ideas are well-developed, particularly the distinction between the developmental benefits for children and the stress-relief benefits for adults and retirees. The response is balanced and maintains a consistent focus throughout. To reach the highest band, you could further extend your ideas by briefly discussing the potential challenges of finding time for hobbies in a busy modern world, which would add even more depth to your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs focused on specific age groups, and a concise conclusion. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Similarly', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover', which help the reader follow your argument without difficulty. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text. The structure is professional and contributes to the overall clarity of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'imperative', 'alleviate the tedium', and 'constructive alternative' show a good command of language. There is an occasional minor spelling error, such as 'refereshed', but this does not impede communication. You use collocations effectively, such as 'professional duties' and 'emotional well-being'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated, less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary, which would help push your score into the higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with good control. Your grammar is generally accurate, and your sentences are easy to follow. There are very few errors, and those present are non-systematic and do not affect meaning. You demonstrate a good grasp of punctuation and sentence variety. To achieve a higher band, ensure that you consistently use a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional clauses or passive voice, to show greater flexibility in your writing. Overall, your control of grammar is strong.

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

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