Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-22

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)

It is common in many countries for families to work together in their own business. I think this trend has some drawbacks, but the benefits of this trend outweigh those drawbacks.

To begin with, one major advantage of this trend is that businesses which are operated by the family members can create a strong sense of trust and cooperation among the employees. Since family have known one another for a longer period of time, they are more likely to trust each other and can communicate more openly. Also, tasks and responsibilities can be divided equally among family members. Since they have known each other for a long period of time, different roles can be assigned based on each individual's strengths and weaknesses. As a result, the business can operate more efficiently and problems can be solved more smoothly. For instance, in family-run restaurants usually the parents handle all the financial responsibilities, as they have more experience in the business, whereas other family members can take care of the cashier, serve customers, prepare food and manage inventory. This pattern of workflow ensure that the business can expand exponentially, without any placing any excessive burden on any family members.

However, despite these advantages there are also some drawbacks. One significant disadvantage of this trend is disagreement between the family members. In, most family-run businesses there can often be conflicts over important decisions, such as how profits should be distributed, who should take responsibility for certain tasks, or how the business should be managed. As a result, these disagreements can create tension among family members and reduce the overall efficiency of the business. For instance, if two family members have different opinions about how to invest the company's profits, they may argue over which decision would be more beneficial for the business. If such conflicts are not resolved quickly, they can affect the working environment and may even lead to a decline in productivity.\

In conclusion, although working in a family-run business can sometimes lead to disagreements and conflicts, I believe that the advantages outweigh these drawbacks. Family members can divide responsibilities according to their individual strengths, which can help the business operate efficiently and achieve long-term growth.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of family businesses and clearly states a position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Ideas are well developed and supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as the example of a family-run restaurant where parents handle finances while other members take specific roles like managing inventory or serving customers. The position is maintained throughout the essay. The response satisfies the criteria for Band 7, as it addresses all parts of the task with a clear position and extends ideas appropriately, although the supporting points could be slightly more far-reaching to attain a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, moving from the introduction to the advantages, the disadvantages, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as "To begin with", "Also", "As a result", and "However", though there is some minor repetition of connective phrases like "Since they have known each other". Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to separate the distinct parts of the argument. Overall, the coherence and cohesion align well with the Band 7 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow flexibility and precision, employing less common items such as "expand exponentially", "excessive burden", and "overall efficiency". There are some minor awkward collocations or phrasing choices, such as "businesses which are operated by the family members can create..." and "In, most family-run businesses", but these do not impede communication. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, fitting comfortably within the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range, warranting a solid Band 7 score for lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writer employs a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses ("businesses which are operated by..."), conditional structures ("if two family members have different opinions..."), and participial phrases effectively. There is good control of grammar and punctuation overall, although a few minor mechanical errors appear, such as an unnecessary comma in "In, most family-run businesses". The majority of sentences are grammatically sound, and complex structures are handled with reasonable accuracy. This performance meets the criteria for a Band 7.

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