Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

In many countries, it is common for people to work in family-owned businesses. Although it may sometimes lead to personal conflicts and disagreements, I believe that family businesses generally have more advantages than disadvantages.

To begin with the advantages, family-owned businesses can generate a high level of trust among the family members. They usually become more committed to the success of the business and are willing to work flexible hours as required because they have a personal interest in long-term growth. Moreover, family members can pass valuable knowledge from one generation to the next. This helps the business to maintain its reputation and continue to grow over many years.

Another advantage is that communication can be quicker and more straightforward. Since family members know each other well, they may be able to discuss the problem more effectively and make decisions more efficiently. For example, a small family-owned pharmacy where parents handle the clinical work and their children can handle the administrative tasks, inventory, and customer service. Because they know each other, they can coordinate their responsibility and provide consistent services to the customer.

However, there are also some disadvantages. Personal disagreements can easily affect professional relationships, especially when it comes to making significant decisions regarding the business expansion. In addition, some relatives are also given positions because of their relationship with the owner, regardless the qualification, investment and decision-making ability, which could negatively affect the performance of the business.

To conclude, although family businesses can create conflicts and sometimes make professional decisions more complicated, I believe their advantages are greater. Trust, commitment, effective communication, and the ability to transfer knowledge between generations can contribute significantly to the long-term success of a family business.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task, presenting a clear position that family businesses have more advantages than disadvantages. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the pharmacy scenario. The arguments regarding trust, knowledge transfer, and communication are logically developed. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more depth in the counter-argument section, perhaps by discussing how these disadvantages can be mitigated, which would demonstrate a more nuanced understanding of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

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. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'Another advantage', and 'However' are used effectively to link ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow is smooth, and the referencing is consistent throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'business expansion', 'long-term growth', and 'professional relationships' effectively. While the range is adequate, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions that would characterize a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice or spelling that impede communication, and the tone remains formal and consistent throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There is a minor error in the phrase 'regardless the qualification', which should be 'regardless of the qualification'. Punctuation is used correctly to support the structure of the arguments. The control over complex structures is consistent, and the occasional minor slips do not interfere with the reader's understanding of the points being made.

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