Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-12

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.

Why might this be the case?

What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

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

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Nowadays, an increasing number of people choose to work for themselves instead of being employed by a company or organisation. There are several reasons for this trend, although self-employment also has some disadvantages.

One major reason why people become self-employed is that it gives them greater freedom and flexibility. They can decide their working hours and choose the type of work they want to do. This can be particularly attractive to people who do not like working under strict rules or having a manager. Another reason is the possibility of earning more money. If a self-employed person has a successful business, they may earn more than they would as an employee. For example, a skilled graphic designer can work independently for several clients and increase their income by taking on more projects.

However, being self-employed also has some disadvantages. The biggest problem is that income may not be stable. Unlike employees who usually receive a fixed salary every month, self-employed people may have fewer customers during some periods. This can make it difficult to manage household expenses. Another disadvantage is that they have to deal with many responsibilities themselves, such as finding clients, managing finances and paying taxes. In addition, self-employed people may have to work longer hours, especially when they are trying to establish a new business.

In conclusion, people may choose self-employment because it provides greater freedom, flexibility and potentially higher income. However, unstable earnings and the extra responsibilities involved can make this type of employment stressful and financially risky.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing clear reasons for the rise in self-employment and identifying relevant disadvantages. The ideas are well-developed and supported with logical explanations, such as the mention of graphic designers to illustrate income potential. The position is clear throughout, and the structure follows a logical progression from causes to drawbacks. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the 'why' by incorporating broader societal or economic factors, such as the impact of digital technology, to demonstrate a more sophisticated level of analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised 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 'One major reason', 'Another reason', 'However', and 'In addition' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow is smooth, and the use of referencing is accurate, ensuring that the reader can easily track the development of your points.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. You use topic-specific terms like 'self-employed', 'stable income', 'household expenses', and 'financially risky' correctly. While the range is adequate to convey your ideas clearly, it is somewhat functional. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items, such as 'autonomy', 'fluctuating revenue', or 'administrative burden', to demonstrate a wider and more precise command of the English language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate. You successfully use complex structures, such as 'If a self-employed person has a successful business, they may earn more than they would as an employee.' There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To improve, you could aim for a greater variety of complex grammatical forms, such as passive voice or conditional structures, to further showcase your range.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.