Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-18

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 6.5)

It is often debated that it is really important for people of all ages to pick at least one hobby. I completely support this notion. In my opinion, not only does having a hobby help people learn new skills but it is also essential for an individual's mental well-being.

Commencing with the most salient reasons, hobbies are important for children because they teach them different skills that shape their personalities. For example, many children develop the hobby of book reading in childhood. Not only does it help them in aquiring knowledge but it also gives them an opportunity to spend their time productively. For young adults, studies can take up most of their time and energy. Therefore, having an activity that they enjoy in their free time can be beneficial for their mental peace.

Similarly, In working class we often see that people work for long hours and are left with very little opportunity to do anything for themselves. Adopting a hobby provides them a chance to create work life balance. For instance, most working people have hobbies like playing sports, going to the gym, traveling, playing instruments. Post-retirement phase can be very lonely for some elderly. They spend all their lives working and having a fixed routine. Sitting idle can really affect their mental health. Hence, they should atleast have one activity that they can enjoy to pass time.

To recapitulate, a person needs something that they love doing at every stage of life. Adopting at least one hobby is extremely essential to keep a calm and regulated nervous system. In my opinion, everyone should choose a hobby for themselves no matter how old they are, because it is very important for their overall well-being.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position throughout the essay. The response considers the importance of hobbies across various age groups, specifically children, young adults, working people, and retirees, which directly maps to the prompt's premise. Ideas are well-supported with relevant examples, such as book reading for children and sports or travel for working adults. The position is fully developed, and the arguments are logically extended without over-generalising. Based on these strengths, the response easily meets the criteria for Band 7.0, as it addresses all parts of the task with a clear stance and well-supported ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph is dedicated to a specific age group mentioned in the prompt, creating a natural flow from childhood through to retirement. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'Commencing with the most salient reasons', 'Similarly', and 'To recapitulate'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating distinct stages of life clearly. Referencing and substitution are managed well, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the progression of ideas. While the transition at the beginning of the third paragraph contains a minor capitalisation error ('Similarly, In working class'), the overall structure and cohesion firmly place this response in the Band 7.0 range.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, using appropriate terms related to lifestyle and mental well-being such as 'mental well-being', 'productively', 'work life balance', and 'regulated nervous system'. There is an attempt to use less common items like 'salient', 'recapitulate', and 'idle'. However, there is a minor spelling error ('aquiring' instead of 'acquiring') and a missing article ('In working class' instead of 'In the working class'). These occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation prevent the response from reaching Band 8.0, but the range is comfortably adequate for a Band 7.0 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer displays a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, including conditional-like ideas and subordinate clauses ('Not only does it help them in acquiring knowledge but it also gives them...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and the overall control of grammar and punctuation is strong. A few minor slips occur, such as a missing article in 'In working class', a missing preposition in 'provides them a chance', and a double space in 'Adopting at least one hobby'. However, these errors do not impede communication at all. The control over complex structures and the high proportion of error-free sentences warrant a solid Band 7.0.

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