Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28

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)

Having a pastime activity is essential for people of all ages. Hobbies play a vital role in boosting mental well-being, improving daily focus, and reducing procrastination. In my view, engaging in at least one personal hobby offers immense benefits regardless of a person's stage in life.

First and foremost, taking up a hobby significantly enhances both physical and mental health. Engaging in an enjoyable activity allows individuals to relieve stress and sharpen their cognitive functions. For instance, young children involved in creative hobbies like painting or learning a musical instrument often develop better focus and problem-solving skills, which positively impacts their overall learning ability. Similarly, taking up physical activities like swimming or cycling helps working adults manage daily work anxiety.

Beyond health benefits, hobbies provide an effective way to boost daily productivity and prevent burnout. People who make time for leisure activities tend to remain far more active and energized throughout the week. For example, retired individuals who practice gardening or reading stay mentally sharp and physically active, preventing the lethargy that often accompanies retirement. Thus, having a structured personal interest keeps people engaged and motivated.

Some critics argue that spending time on hobbies wastes time that could be spent working or studying. However, hobbies actually free the mind from daily stresses, allowing individuals to return to their tasks with renewed focus and energy.

In conclusion, having at least one hobby is crucial for children, young adults, working professionals, and retirees alike. It not only supports physical and mental health but also keeps individuals active, creative, and productive throughout their lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position that hobbies are essential across all life stages. The writer introduces the topic effectively in the introduction, categorising groups into children, young adults, working people, and the retired. Each body paragraph explores different facets of the prompt, examining how hobbies benefit health, productivity, and stress relief. For example, the writer cites young children developing problem-solving skills through painting and retired individuals staying mentally sharp through gardening. Ideas are well developed and extended logically throughout the essay, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the prompt and maintaining a consistent, well-supported viewpoint from start to finish.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently structured, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the argument, as seen with transition markers like 'First and foremost', 'Beyond health benefits', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, distinct supporting points, a counter-argument paragraph, and a concise conclusion. Referencing throughout the text is clear, ensuring that the relationships between ideas remain transparent and easy to follow without any disruptive mechanical phrasing.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a sufficient to wide range of vocabulary appropriate for a general task. Less common lexical items are used with good awareness of style and collocation, such as 'cognitive functions', 'burnout', 'lethargy', and 'structured personal interest'. Word choices are generally precise and natural, contributing to fluent communication. Although there are occasional minor inaccuracies in collocation or phrasing, such as 'pastime activity' instead of simply 'pastime' or 'hobby', these do not impede the flow or clarity of the message. Spelling and word formation remain accurate throughout the entire response, supporting a solid performance in this domain.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response features a wide variety of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences. The writer skillfully incorporates participial phrases, conditional logic, and relative clauses, such as in the sentence 'Engaging in an enjoyable activity allows individuals to relieve stress and sharpen their cognitive functions' and 'young children involved in creative hobbies like painting or learning a musical instrument often develop better focus'. Grammatical control is strong throughout, with appropriate punctuation and tense consistency. Errors are extremely rare and do not interfere with readability or understanding, showcasing a high level of syntactic flexibility and accuracy across the entire text.

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