Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-01

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)

Nowadays, many people prefer to a self-employed instead of working for company or organization. there are several reasons for this change, such as having more freedom and chance to earn more money. However, self-employment also has some disadvantages, especially an uncertain income and grate responsibility.

One main reason why people choose self-employment is freedom. When people work for themselves, they can decide when and where they work. For example, a freelance graphic designer can choose their own working hours and take holidays when necessary. Another reason is that self-employed people can potentially earn more money because they do not receive a fixed salary. If their business becomes successful, their income increases significantly. In addition, some people simply prefer to be their own boss rather than follow the rules and decision of a manager.

However, being self-employed also has some drawbacks. The biggest problem is unstable income. Unlike employees, self-employed people may not receive the same amount money every month. This can make it difficult to manage daily expenses such as rent and bills. Another disadvantage is that they have to deal with many responsibilities themselves. For instance, a small business owner may need to find costumers, manage money, advertise the business and solve problems without help from a company. As a result, they may have to work longer hours and experience more pressure.

To conclude, people are increasingly becoming self-employed because it gives them greater freedom, flexibility and possibility of higher earnings. Nevertheless, uncertain income and increased responsibilities make self-employment challenging.

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 relevant and supported by examples, such as the freelance graphic designer and the small business owner. The position is clear throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development of ideas could be more nuanced; for instance, the discussion on 'freedom' could be expanded to include the psychological impact of autonomy versus the isolation of working alone. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'For example,' 'Another reason,' 'In addition,' and 'However' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow is smooth, and the reader is guided through the writer's points without confusion. The use of referencing is generally accurate, ensuring that the text remains coherent throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with some precision. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'freelance,' 'fixed salary,' and 'unstable income' appropriately. There are some minor errors, such as 'grate responsibility' (should be 'great') and 'find costumers' (should be 'customers'). While the range is adequate for the task, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or the use of less common idiomatic expressions that would characterize a higher band. However, the vocabulary is used naturally and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'prefer to a self-employed' (should be 'prefer to be self-employed') and 'rules and decision' (should be 'rules and decisions'). Punctuation is generally correct, though there are occasional minor errors. The majority of sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for smooth reading. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that articles and prepositions are used consistently. The control of grammar is generally good, though not entirely error-free.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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