Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-10

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)

Nowadays, many people prefer to become self-employed instead of working for a company. There are several reasons for this choice, such as having more freedom and the opportunity to earn more money. However, self-employment also has some disadvantages, including financial uncertainty and increased responsibility.

One main reason why people choose self-employment is freedom and flexibility. Self-employed people can decide their own working hours and do not have to follow a strict schedule set by an employer. This can help them spend more time with their families and maintain a better work-life balance. Another reason is the possibility of higher income. If a person runs a successful business, they may earn more money than they would as an employee.

However, being self-employed also has several disadvantages. The biggest problem is unstable income. Unlike regular employees, self-employed people may not receive the same amount of money every month. They can also experience difficulties when there are fewer customers. In addition, they have more responsibilities, such as managing finances, paying taxes, finding customers, and dealing with business problems. This can lead to stress and long working hours.

In conclusion, people choose self-employment mainly because it provides freedom, flexibility, and the potential for higher earnings. Nevertheless, financial uncertainty and greater responsibility can make self-employment challenging. In my opinion, it is a good option for people who are independent and willing to accept these risks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for choosing self-employment and the associated disadvantages. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of development. While the ideas are relevant, they are presented in a somewhat brief manner. For instance, the discussion on financial uncertainty and the list of responsibilities could have been expanded with more specific examples or a more detailed exploration of the impact on the individual. Because the response is under-length, it fails to fully develop the ideas to the extent required for a higher band, resulting in a score of 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

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. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In addition', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the overall structure is quite simple. To reach a higher band, the student could use a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the transition between ideas is more sophisticated and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task and allows the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'money' and 'people'. While the student uses some relevant topic-specific vocabulary such as 'self-employed', 'financial uncertainty', and 'work-life balance', the range is somewhat limited. There is little evidence of less common or idiomatic language. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more precise synonyms and collocations to demonstrate a wider lexical range and more sophisticated control over word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good level of grammatical accuracy. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is generally correct. The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'If a person runs a successful business, they may earn more money than they would as an employee.' However, the range of structures is somewhat limited; there is a reliance on straightforward sentence patterns. To achieve a higher score, the student should attempt to use a greater variety of complex grammatical structures, such as passive voice or more advanced conditional forms, while maintaining the current level of accuracy.

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