Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29

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 8.0)

It is often argued that everyone, regardless of age or occupation, should have at least one hobby. I strongly agree with this view because hobbies provide people with an opportunity to relax, improve their mental and physical well-being, and develop useful skills. Although people have different responsibilities at different stages of life, having a hobby can benefit everyone.

For children, hobbies are particularly important because they help them discover their interests and develop new abilities. Activities such as drawing, playing a musical instrument, reading, or playing sports can improve creativity, confidence, and discipline. For example, a child who regularly plays soccer not only becomes more physically active but also learns how to cooperate with teammates and follow rules. Similarly, learning an instrument can teach patience and concentration.

Young adults and working people can also benefit greatly from hobbies. Modern life can be stressful because of studies, work, and family responsibilities. Having an enjoyable activity outside these responsibilities can help people reduce stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance. From my experience, spending time on a hobby after a busy day helps me relax and return to my responsibilities with a clearer mind. Hobbies can also provide opportunities to meet new people and build friendships. For instance, joining a sports club or a photography group allows people to interact with others who have similar interests.

Retired people may benefit even more from having hobbies because they often have more free time after leaving the workforce. Gardening, cooking, travelling, painting, or volunteering can give them a sense of purpose and keep them socially and physically active. For example, a retired person who enjoys gardening can spend time outdoors while also producing fresh vegetables for their family.

In conclusion, I believe that having at least one hobby is valuable for people of all ages. Hobbies can improve physical and mental well-being, develop useful skills, reduce stress, and provide opportunities to connect with others. Therefore, everyone should try to make time for an activity that they genuinely enjoy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position agreeing with the prompt and supporting it across different age groups (children, young adults, working people, and retirees). The writer provides well-developed ideas and relevant examples, such as soccer for children and gardening for retirees, which extend the arguments effectively throughout the essay. The stance remains consistent and clear from the introduction to the conclusion, meeting the Band 8 descriptor criteria comfortably.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

Ideas are logically sequenced with a clear progression from childhood through to retirement in subsequent paragraphs. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each life stage receiving its own focused paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'For children', 'Similarly', 'Young adults and working people can also benefit', and 'In conclusion' are managed effectively and contribute to a smooth flow of ideas without feeling mechanical or obtrusive.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient to wide range of vocabulary appropriate for a General Training essay on this topic. Less common lexical items and collocations are used with good awareness, such as 'work-life balance', 'sense of purpose', 'socially and physically active', and 'cooperate with teammates'. There are only occasional minor limitations, but word choices are generally accurate and natural, supporting clear communication throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as concessive clauses ('Although people have different responsibilities...') and gerund phrases. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the student demonstrates good control of grammar and punctuation. There are only very occasional minor slips that do not impede communication, placing the writing firmly in the Band 8 category for grammatical control.

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