Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-02

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 recent years, an increasing number of people are choosing to become self-employed rather than working for a traditional company. There are many reasons for this trend, but the main reason is related to personal freedom, but there are also negative aspects to consider, such as financial risk.

One of the main reasons why people prefer self-employment is the want for independence. When working for a company, employees usually have to follow strict rules and fixed working hours set by managers. However, running a business gives owner the flexibility to make their own decisions. For example, freelance professionals, such as graphic designers or influencers, can choose their own clients and set their own schedules. This allows them to work on their own terms and achieve a better work schedule without having to ask a boss for permission.

On the other hand, there are major disadvantages to not working for an established organization. The most significant drawback is the lack of job security and a stable income. Regular employees receive a fixed salary at the end of every month, along with benefits like paid sick leave and health insurance. Self-employed individuals do not have this guarantee. If a small business experiences a month with low customer demand, the owner still has to cover running costs and business expenses out of their own pocket, which can cause significant stress.

In conclusion, while being self-employed offers great benefits like daily flexibility and freedom, it also brings serious challenges regarding an unstable income. People should carefully think these financial risks and uncertainty of life

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for choosing self-employment and the potential disadvantages. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, such as the desire for independence versus the lack of financial security. However, the conclusion is somewhat abrupt and incomplete, failing to fully synthesize the points made. While the main ideas are well-supported with examples like graphic designers and health insurance, the development could be more nuanced to reach a higher band. The position is clear throughout, but the final sentence lacks grammatical completion, which slightly weakens the overall impact of the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'For example', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the benefits of autonomy to the risks of financial instability. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. While the transition between ideas is generally effective, the final sentence of the conclusion is grammatically incomplete, which slightly disrupts the flow at the very end of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You have used some topic-specific terms such as 'freelance professionals', 'financial risk', and 'customer demand'. There is an attempt to use a range of vocabulary, though it remains somewhat standard. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items. For instance, instead of 'want for independence', you could use 'desire for autonomy'. The word choice is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede meaning, though the range is not yet broad enough for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have successfully used complex sentences, such as 'When working for a company, employees usually have to follow strict rules...', which shows good control. However, there are some minor errors, such as 'gives owner the flexibility' (missing an article) and the incomplete final sentence: 'People should carefully think these financial risks and uncertainty of life' (missing a preposition like 'about'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more consistent proofreading and attention to grammatical precision in complex structures.

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

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