Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-26
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 observed that with the passage of time individuals habits and opinions change. I agree with this view because, as people grow older they are exposed to various situations and experiences.
During study years, youngsters generally follow a fixed routine, where they attend classes and study to pass exams. When they start employment, they act individually and are assigned different tasks to complete on deadlines. This would also require them to interact with different colleagues and each task could be unique, requiring a new approach every time. This change to professional life from a student life often causes people to mature and change themselves to survive and grow.
Additionally, in personal lives individuals also change when they get married or have children. They would take up on new responsibilities and change their habits to adjust with the new people in their lives. For example, after marriage couples share a room need to make changes to accomodate each other. The partner who is afraid of the dark would ask the other to keep warm lights on during sleeping. Therefore, someone who spent their whole life sleeping in the dark would have to change their habit to make the other comfortable.
On the other hand, critics argue that individuals act on a fixed pattern determined by their genetics. However, I do not think this to be the case. Individuals with personal and professional growth in life learn from their experiences and adapt to survive difficult situations. Growth is a continous process and constant adaptations helps people succeed in their ever changing lives.
In conclusion, as individuals age the change in the circumstances and practical experiences build a sense of maturity and cause individuals to develop new habits and form different opinions.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly stating a position that agrees with the prompt and supporting it with relevant reasons. The writer presents well-developed ideas, extending them through logical examples from both professional life, such as transitioning from student routines to workplace demands, and personal life, such as marriage and shared responsibilities. The counter-argument regarding genetics is briefly addressed and refuted effectively, ensuring a fully explored discussion. The position is clear throughout the essay, demonstrating a strong understanding of how and why people change their habits and opinions over time.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with the introduction of the premise, moving through professional and personal examples, considering a counter-argument, and concluding effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and logically. While referencing is generally clear, occasional mechanical transitions could be slightly more sophisticated to reach a higher band level.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow for flexibility and precision, such as 'exposed to various situations', 'professional life', and 'continous process' (though note the spelling error). Less common lexical items like 'accommodate' and 'adaptations' are attempted with a good awareness of context and topic. There are occasional spelling errors, such as 'continous' instead of 'continuous' and 'accomodate' instead of 'accommodate', but these do not impede communication. The vocabulary is adequate for expressing complex ideas on lifestyle and psychological changes over time.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating a good control of grammar. Examples of complex structures include conditional and participial phrases such as 'When they start employment, they act individually...' and 'Individuals with personal and professional growth in life learn from their experiences...'. There are a few minor punctuation and grammatical slips, such as missing commas (e.g., 'as people grow older they are exposed') and slight awkwardness in phrasing like 'during sleeping'. However, the majority of sentences are grammatically sound, and errors do not impede overall communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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