Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-22

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 6.0)

In today's competitive job market, getting a job requires extra ordinary sets of skills and experience which many people might not have as a result many people nowadays choose to be self-employed rather than working for a company or an organisation. I believe being self-employed is much more beneficial than working for others, however it does have it's disadvantages also.

Every year the job market is getting tougher and the companies' requirement for job interview is getting longer. Many young graduates with less experience are not given the opportunities and the number of graduates increases every year. A recent survey has indicated that a less experienced youngster spends around 1-2 years before they land a full time job. This might be one of the reasons behind the rapid increase in the number of self-employed people. A report posted by University of Sydney states self-employed people ranked high in self-esteem and confidence.

On the other hand, there is disadvantage of being self-employed. These people doesn't have job safety which is provided when they are working in an organisation or company. Self-employed people doesn't get the benefit of paid vacations, insurance and other benefits. They don't have a fixed amount of income and fixed amount of work they have to put. A recent article showed that people working for an organisation or company has less anxiety related to work than self-employed individuals.

In conclusion, many people nowadays chooses to be self-employed and work for themself rather than for other. I also firmly believe that working for own self is much better than working for others although it has it's own disadvantage and limitation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for self-employment and the associated disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention job market competition and lack of job security, these points could be expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments are relatively brief. To improve, ensure that each body paragraph provides a more thorough explanation of the 'why' and 'how' behind your claims, rather than just stating them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the other hand' and 'In conclusion', but the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition between the job market difficulty and the University of Sydney report feels abrupt. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. However, there is a lack of variety and precision. You rely on basic terms like 'good' or 'better' and repeat phrases like 'working for an organisation or company'. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'entrepreneurial ventures', 'financial instability', or 'professional autonomy'. Additionally, ensure you use the correct form of words, such as 'extraordinary' instead of 'extra ordinary'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several recurring grammatical errors that affect the quality of the writing. Specifically, subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'These people doesn't have' and 'many people nowadays chooses'. There are also punctuation errors, such as the misuse of the apostrophe in 'it's' (which should be 'its' for the possessive form). While you attempt some complex sentences, the frequency of these basic errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and possessive pronouns.

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