Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-26

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, many people choose to be self-employed rather than to work for a company or organisation, which is a widely discussed issue in modern society. This essay will answer both questions by examining the main aspects of the topic. The following paragraphs explain the answers in detail.

To begin with, the first question can be answered by the fact that self-employment provides greater freedom and flexibility. This is mainly because self-employed people can decide their own working hours and choose the type of work they want to do, which means that they have more control over their professional lives. Consequently, they can often create a better balance between their work and personal life. For example, a freelance graphic designer can choose when to work and can accept projects according to their own schedule. If appropriate decisions are made, self-employment can also provide greater job satisfaction because people can work according to their interests and abilities. In addition, successful self-employed people may earn more money than they could in a regular job. Thus, these factors provide a clear explanation for why many people choose self-employment.

Turning to the second question, being self-employed can also have several important disadvantages. One possible problem is that self-employed people may have an uncertain income, leading to financial stress. For instance, a freelancer may have many clients in one month but very few in another month. Moreover, self-employed workers are usually responsible for finding customers, managing their finances, paying taxes and dealing with work-related problems. As a result, they may need to work longer hours and experience considerable pressure. Another disadvantage is that they may not receive benefits such as paid holidays, sick leave or employer-provided insurance. Therefore, these challenges can make self-employment difficult, especially for people who prefer financial security.

In conclusion, both questions highlight different aspects of self-employment. Overall, freedom, flexibility and greater control are major reasons why people choose this type of work, while uncertain income, increased responsibility and work pressure are some of its main disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt clearly. You have identified key reasons for choosing self-employment, such as flexibility and potential for higher earnings, and provided relevant disadvantages like income instability and the lack of employment benefits. The ideas are well-developed and supported with logical explanations and examples, such as the freelance graphic designer. The position is clear throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, you could aim to provide more nuanced analysis or explore the implications of these trends further, but the current response fully satisfies the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

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 range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'To begin with', 'Consequently', 'Turning to', and 'Moreover'. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The use of referencing is accurate, and the flow between sentences is smooth, making the text easy to read and understand throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'professional lives', 'financial stress', and 'employer-provided insurance' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the task, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations that would characterize a higher band. However, there are no significant errors in word choice, and the language used is natural and fits the academic context well. You have successfully avoided repetition and maintained a formal tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'which is a widely discussed issue' and 'if appropriate decisions are made'. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors. Punctuation is used correctly to support the structure of your sentences. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips do not impede communication at all. This shows a high level of control over grammatical structures.

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