Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-18

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 7.5)

In recent years, an increasing number of people have chosen to work for themselves rather than be employed by companies or organisations. This essay will discuss the main reasons for this trend and examine the disadvantages that self-employed people may face.

One major reason for this trend is the freedom and flexibility. Self-employed people usually have more control over who they work with, when and where they work. For example, a small online business owner can choose to work from home and organise their working hours around their family. Another reason is higher earning potential. This is because they are not limited to fixed monthly payments. They can take on more clients, charge higher prices for their services, or expand their business if it becomes successful. For example, a skilled graphic designer may earn more by working directly with several clients than by receiving a fixed salary from one company.

However, self-employment also has some disadvantages. Firstly, working by yourself means more responsibility and stress. This means you'll need to find your own clients, manage finances, advertise, and solve business problems on your own. Furthermore, unlike employees, self-employed people may not receive regular income. This is because earnings often depend on the number of customers or projects they have. For example, a freelance photographer may have many weddings and events during the busy season but very few bookings during quieter months. As a result, they may struggle to pay regular expenses such as rent, bills and other living costs.

In conclusion, many people choose self-employment because it provides greater flexibility and the potential for higher earnings. However, it can also lead to an unstable income and greater financial pressure.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

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, with specific examples such as the graphic designer and the freelance photographer used to illustrate the points effectively. The position is clear throughout the essay, and the structure follows a logical progression that directly answers the two-part question. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your analysis by briefly discussing the broader societal impact of this trend, but the current response is fully sufficient for a high score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'One major reason', 'Another reason', 'However', and 'As a result' to link your points effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow between sentences is smooth, and there is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive usage of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'earning potential', 'fixed monthly payments', and 'financial pressure' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is appropriate and clear, it is mostly functional. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range, such as 'autonomy', 'fluctuating income', or 'fiscal instability'. However, the current usage is natural and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good control of grammatical structures. You successfully use a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'This is because they are not limited to fixed monthly payments.' Punctuation is accurate, and there are very few errors. The sentence structures are varied, which helps maintain the reader's interest. While the grammar is strong, the range of complex structures could be slightly more ambitious to reach the highest band. Nevertheless, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over tense and subject-verb agreement is excellent.

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.