Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-11

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)

While some people argue that hobbies and interests are unnecessary in their lives, others believe that everyone should spend their spare time practising at least one activity or enjoying one hobby. I am a staunch believer that hobbies are essential in one's life because they help reduce stress and maintain mental well-being. In addition, practising hobbies can offer numerous opportunities to make friends.

To begin with, most psychologists believe that hobbies and leisure activities should be an essential part of people’s daily lives. In other words, everyone, including children, teenagers, adults, and even senior citizens, should set aside some time each day to do something interesting and practise a hobby they like. This can help them feel relaxed, reduce anxiety, and enhance their overall health, both mentally and physically. For example, elderly people who go for a walk every day or practise a suitable sport tend to have better health and lower levels of stress and depression compared with people who do not practise any kind of sport.

In addition, many sociologists suggest that having a hobby can enhance communication skills, particularly among children and youngsters. That is to say, young people tend to speak more freely with others when it comes to something they really like. For example, teachers have observed that children who practise sports and have at least one hobby can easily make friends who share the same interests. Therefore, participating in activities can enhance children’s and teenagers’ confidence and communication skills.

In conclusion, hobbies and activities play a crucial role in people’s peace of mind and mental health. I truly believe that such activities should be an important part of everyone’s life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The ideas regarding mental well-being and social benefits are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the reference to elderly people and communication skills in children. The response is balanced and covers the various age groups mentioned in the prompt. To reach a higher band, the development could be slightly more nuanced by exploring potential counter-arguments or providing more specific, real-world examples rather than general observations about 'psychologists' or 'sociologists'. Overall, the task is fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth, using cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In addition', and 'In conclusion'. The use of referencing is clear, and the flow of information is easy to follow. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the internal structure of the paragraphs is coherent. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of cohesive devices, making the writing feel natural and well-structured.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. You have used a range of topic-specific vocabulary such as 'mental well-being', 'senior citizens', and 'communication skills'. The word choice is generally precise, and there are no significant errors in collocation. While the range is adequate, incorporating more sophisticated or less common lexical items would elevate the score further. For instance, instead of 'do something interesting', you could use 'pursue a stimulating endeavor'. The current range is solid and allows for clear communication of your ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'While some people argue that... others believe that...' and 'For example, elderly people who go for a walk... tend to have better health'. The punctuation is accurate, and there are very few grammatical errors. The sentences are generally error-free, and the control over complex structures is consistent. To achieve a higher band, you could aim for even greater variety in sentence length and structure to enhance the overall flow.

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