Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

It is very common for people to change both their habits and their opinions as they get older.

Do you agree or disagree?

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

Student answer (Band 7.5)

I agree that it is very common for people to change their habits and opinions as they get older. While personality may remain fairly stable, life experience, responsibility and biological changes naturally reshape how we live and what we believe.

One main reason habits change is increased responsibility. In youth, many people have irregular sleeping patterns, eat fast food and spend money impulsively because they have fewer obligations. As they enter their thirties and forties, work, marriage and parenthood demand more discipline. For example, I used to stay up late playing video games when I was a student, but now that I work full-time, I have developed the habit of waking early, planning meals and exercising regularly to stay healthy. Older people also often become more health-conscious because they begin to feel the consequences of earlier lifestyles, such as back pain or high cholesterol, which forces them to quit smoking or drinking.

Opinions change for a similar reason – broader experience. When we are young, our views are often idealistic and based on what we learn from parents, school or social media. With age, we meet different kinds of people, travel, face failure and success, and this makes our thinking more nuanced. A teenager might believe that money is the most important measure of success, but after working for several years, he may realise that work-life balance and relationships matter more. Similarly, many people become more tolerant and less judgemental as they get older because they understand that life is complex and people have different circumstances.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by taking a clear stance that people change both habits and opinions as they get older, supporting this position with logical reasons and relevant examples. In the second paragraph, the writer explains how increased responsibility transforms daily routines, citing a clear personal example: 'I used to stay up late playing video games when I was a student, but now that I work full-time, I have developed the habit of waking early.' Similarly, the third paragraph explores how broader experiences shift opinions, noting that a teenager's idealistic views evolve into a more nuanced understanding of success and relationships. The ideas are well-developed and sustained throughout the essay, meeting all criteria for a Band 8 level in Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are logically sequenced, beginning with a concise introduction that outlines the main thesis, followed by two well-defined body paragraphs focusing separately on habits and opinions. Cohesive devices such as 'One main reason', 'For example', and 'Similarly' are used appropriately and effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph having a distinct central topic. Referencing is clear throughout the text, and overall cohesion is well managed, easily fitting the requirements for a Band 7.5 or Band 8, justifying a solid Band 7.5 score due to some slightly standard transitional phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student uses a sufficient and generally flexible range of vocabulary suited to the topic. Less common lexical items are employed with reasonable awareness of style and collocation, such as 'irregular sleeping patterns', 'health-conscious', 'idealistic', and 'work-life balance'. Word choice is generally precise, as seen in expressions like 'naturally reshape how we live' and 'thinking more nuanced'. There are occasional minor awkwardnesses or standard collocations, but these do not impede communication. The lexical range is adequate for flexibility and precision, demonstrating the characteristics expected of a Band 7 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over grammatical structures. The writer successfully employs subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as 'While personality may remain fairly stable, life experience... naturally reshape' and 'after working for several years, he may realise that...'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout the text. While the range of complex structures is somewhat standard rather than highly sophisticated, the control is strong and communication is never hindered. This performance comfortably aligns with a Band 7 descriptor.

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