Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-21

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 6.5)

It is often said that people tend to change their habits and their opinions as they grow older. I completely agree with this statement and this essay will discuss this and give a relevant example to support this discussion.

Firstly, with a growing age people learn to prioritise things and start taking resposibilities which comes along with it. Many people gain new experiences by changing their habits and opinions. For instance, young people may spend a lot of time socialising with their friends and eating fast food. They may also go for the late night parties on the weekends. However, after getting married or starting a new family, they may begin to follow healthier lifestyle, exercise regularly and sleep on time. In addition, older people may become more careful in terms of finances and develop habits like saving money for their retirement.

Secondly, many people change their opinion by gaining new experiences and knowlegde. For example, a young person may believe that earning a high salary is the most important for having a successful life. However, after experiencing work pressure or family responsibilities, people may realise that job satisfaction, good relationships and a healthy lifestyle are equally important. Similarly, travelling and meeting new people from different cultures can make people more open-minded and change their opinion about other ways of life.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that people commonly change their habbits and their opinions as they get older. This is because of the sense of responsibilities that comes along and new experiences gained by it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response clearly addresses both parts of the prompt regarding changing habits and opinions as people age, presenting a firm and consistent position throughout. The main ideas are well-supported with relevant and relatable examples, such as the transition from a social lifestyle to family responsibilities, and how priorities regarding career and salary shift over time. Ideas are extended and explained clearly, aligning well with the Band 7 descriptors. The writer ensures that every paragraph contributes directly to answering the task question, providing a comprehensive discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear overall progression and logical organisation. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points, moving from a general introduction to habits, then to opinions, and finally a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'For instance', and 'However' are employed effectively to guide the reader through the argument. While referencing and linking are mostly smooth, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Overall, the structural flow is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully using terms such as 'prioritise', 'responsibilities', 'open-minded', and 'satisfaction'. There are a few spelling and lexical slips, such as 'resposibilities', 'knowlegde', and the slightly unnatural collocation 'growing age' instead of 'advancing age' or 'getting older'. Furthermore, there is some minor repetition of words like 'habits' and 'opinions'. However, the lexical range is sufficient to convey precise meanings without impeding communication, fitting the Band 6 criteria.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a satisfactory mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and conditional ideas effectively (e.g., 'after getting married or starting a new family, they may begin to...'). There are some grammatical errors present, such as missing articles ('follow healthier lifestyle', 'the late night parties') and minor prepositional or pluralisation issues ('which comes along with it' referring to responsibilities). Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, and the majority of simple sentences are accurate, securing a solid Band 6 performance.

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