Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-21

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 6.5)

Over the past decade, being self-employed has become quite popular amongst the rising generations. Several people have chosen not to involve themselves in companies or other organisations, but this raises a couple questions. Why has this become such a widespread trend in recent years, and what are the downsides to self-employment?

There are multiple reasons for why someone may choose to become self-employed and completely independent, but the most prominent would have to be the inability to get accepted into a company. Some people may not want to be self-employed but are forced to do so as they face difficulties in the job market and are unable to get into the organisation of their choice. Self-employment becomes their back-up plan that they turn to incase being dependent on a company does not work out. On the other side of the spectrum, many people willingly choose self-employment for the freedom that it provides. Being independent means being free of several restrictive measures that a company may force upon their workers. You are able to make your own rules, plan your own events and cater to the audience you wish to cater to without a company telling you what you can or cannot do. For that reason, some people prefer self-employment over working for a company.

However, it is crucial to acknowledge the disadvantages of being self-employed. Being free of a company means having to fund your own projects with little to no aid from an outside source. Investing and organising events is a pricey process. It is highly demanding and can be quite risky for those who aren't financially stable yet. In addition to that, self-employment means you have to carry the burden of having to market yourself independently. Some may be fortunate enough to have relatives or friends who are able to help in marketing your business, especially if they have academic experience. But for the most part, getting yourself out there will be very difficult without depending on a well-known company, and it will take a while before things finally kick off. For that reason, a lot of patience is required in order to achieve your goals independently.

In conclusion, self-employment has become quite popular in recent years, possibly due to the liberation that comes with being free of restrictive rules, or due to difficulties associating yourself with a company. This can be disadvantageous as it requires great funds with little aid, as well as marketing experience to break through the market. Overall, it is a process that needs great patience in order to see your desired results.

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, particularly the distinction between those who choose self-employment for freedom and those who are forced into it by job market difficulties. The arguments are supported with logical explanations, such as the financial burden and the necessity of self-marketing. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific, concrete examples beyond general statements to further illustrate the points made, which would add depth to the analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In addition to that', and 'For that reason' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for self-employment from the disadvantages. The referencing is generally clear, although some transitions could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the flow between sentences. Overall, the structure is coherent and supports the reader's understanding of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally appropriate for the task. The student uses a range of topic-specific terms such as 'self-employed', 'job market', 'financially stable', and 'market yourself'. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or idiomatic usage that would characterize a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice, and the meaning is always conveyed accurately. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more precise academic collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors that impede communication. Examples of complex structures include conditional clauses ('if they have academic experience') and relative clauses ('who aren't financially stable yet'). Punctuation is used correctly throughout. While the control is good, the range of complex structures could be expanded further to include more varied subordinating conjunctions or passive voice constructions to enhance the academic tone. The current level of accuracy is high, with most sentences being error-free.

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.