Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-19

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 opted for self-employment instead of traditional salaried jobs. This shift is driven by several practical and personal factors, though it also brings notable drawbacks.

One major reason is the desire for greater flexibility and independence. Employees often face rigid schedules, limited holiday entitlements and little control over their daily tasks. By contrast, freelancers or business owners can set their own hours, choose projects that interest them and work from almost anywhere. For instance, many digital nomads run online businesses while travelling, something rarely possible in conventional roles. Additionally, the potential for higher earnings motivates people: successful self-employed individuals keep the profits rather than receiving a fixed salary, and the rise of platforms such as Upwork or Shopify has made it easier to reach clients globally.

However, self-employment carries significant risks. Income can be highly unstable, especially in the early stages when clients are scarce or payments delayed. Unlike company staff, freelancers usually lack paid sick leave, pensions or health insurance, leaving them vulnerable during illness or economic downturns. Work-life balance can also suffer, as the pressure to secure new contracts often leads to long hours and difficulty switching off. Many small business owners report feeling isolated without the social support of colleagues.

In conclusion, while the appeal of autonomy and financial upside explains the growing popularity of self-employment, the lack of security and increased personal responsibility remain serious disadvantages that prospective freelancers should carefully weigh and balanced the conditions accordingly for smooth flow.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for choosing self-employment and the potential disadvantages. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of digital nomads and specific platforms like Upwork and Shopify. The position is clear throughout, and the essay maintains a professional tone. The arguments are logical and balanced, providing a comprehensive overview of the topic. The response meets all requirements of the task effectively, demonstrating a clear understanding of the prompt's demands.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively to link ideas, such as 'By contrast,' 'Additionally,' and 'However.' Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for self-employment from the disadvantages. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the referencing is clear. The final sentence of the conclusion is slightly clunky ('weigh and balanced the conditions accordingly for smooth flow'), but this does not significantly detract from the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is precise and well-suited to the academic context. The student uses a range of topic-specific terminology such as 'salaried jobs,' 'digital nomads,' 'fixed salary,' and 'economic downturns.' The control of collocation is generally strong, and the language is natural. While there are no highly sophisticated or idiomatic expressions, the range is sufficient to convey complex ideas with clarity and precision. The word choice is consistently accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a good command of complex sentence structures, including the use of subordinate clauses and parallel structures. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is generally accurate. There is a minor grammatical slip in the final sentence where 'balanced' should be 'balance' to match the infinitive 'weigh.' However, this is a minor error that does not impede communication. The overall grammatical control is strong, reflecting a high level of proficiency.

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