Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-09

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Write about the following topic:

In many countries, family members work together in their family business.

Do you think family businesses have more advantages than disadvantages?

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

Student answer (Band 7.0)

In multiple nations, it is common for several family members to work together in a family-owned business, and even employ different levels of generations within the businesses. Although this arrangement provides considerable financial and personal benefits such as loyalty and work flexibiliity, it may also create conflicts among family members. In my view, the overall benefits of family businesses outweigh the potential downsides.

One major advantage is the high level of trust and complete loyalty among family members. This is because, unlike unrelated employees, siblings and cousins are related by blood and likely may not cheat one another. Moreover, family enterprises offer greater work flexibility, as families may cooperate and support each other in times of distress. For instance, when working for a family bakery, one can adjust their schedule to manage urgent domestic responsibilities. Furthermore, family members may be prepared to work longer hours or make temporary financial sacrifices in times of crisis. Thus, being employed in family businesses is more secure both personally and finacially.

On the other hand, such work arrangements may lead to misuse of freedom by some family members, which can create friction among the families. For example, if one brother works harder and the other shirks his job responsibilities, it is unfair to share the profits equally. Therefore, in such situations, working in a shared business becomes stressful and leads to disagreements. Family members may also feel pressured to join such business despite having different career aspirations.

In conclusion, although having a joint company can offer trust, loyalty and work flexibility, it may also affect familial relations negatively and create avenues of conflicts and misunderstandings. However, if such situations are managed carefully, the long term advantages of working in family business are far more substantial than any disdavantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that the benefits of family businesses outweigh the drawbacks. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, such as the discussion on trust and loyalty versus the potential for interpersonal conflict. The essay is balanced, exploring both sides of the argument before concluding. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific, real-world examples rather than general hypothetical scenarios, such as mentioning a well-known family-run corporation or a specific industry trend to add depth to your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', 'Thus', and 'On the other hand'. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall flow. The transition between the advantages and disadvantages is smooth, ensuring the reader understands the shift in perspective. The structure is consistent and supports the development of your argument throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'financial and personal benefits', 'career aspirations', and 'distress' are used appropriately. There are a few minor spelling errors, such as 'flexibiliity', 'finacially', and 'disdavantages', which are minor slips. While the vocabulary is adequate and clear, incorporating more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items would elevate the response. For instance, instead of 'misuse of freedom', you could use 'nepotism' or 'lack of professional boundaries' to show greater lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are clear, and your control of grammar is generally good. There are occasional errors, such as 'employ different levels of generations' (which is slightly awkward phrasing) and 'join such business' (should be 'such a business'). However, these errors do not impede communication. You show a good grasp of punctuation and sentence variety. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and article usage are consistently accurate throughout the text.

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