Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-11

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 being self employed has a lot of benefits for a person and some disadvantages as well. in this essay we will discuss both aspects of self employed person.

if we talk about the benefits of being self employed one of the most important is work flexibility. As a self employed you can work from anywhere either siting in your home or office it is up to you. that is why many people nowadays are choosing to become self employed rather than to work for a company. moreover, if you work for a company or organization they will give you a fixed amount of salary per month but for being a self employed means you can earn according to your need if you work more you can earn more vice versa.

similarly, there are some of disadvantages of being a self employed, with organization you follow a routine and work for specific hours but when you work for yourself then there might be chances that you do not follow a proper routine and consistency that will effect your performance. for example my own friend is working online in up work as I noticed him that he is inconsistent with his work, sometimes he work for more than 10 hour and on the other day he did not work for even one hour. so all this show how being self employed effect your consistency.

in conclusion being a self employed means you have a lots of benefits and as well as disadvantages. so choose your job which suits you.

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. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you mention flexibility and earnings as benefits, and inconsistency as a disadvantage, these points are not fully extended. The introduction is very brief and lacks a clear thesis statement. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more depth in your arguments and ensure the conclusion does more than just restate the prompt, perhaps by offering a final thought or summary of the main points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'moreover', 'similarly'). There are also issues with sentence-level cohesion, such as the run-on sentences in the second paragraph. The transition between ideas is functional but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher levels. You rely on basic terms like 'benefits', 'disadvantages', and 'work'. There are some errors in word formation, such as 'a self employed' instead of 'a self-employed person' or 'being self-employed'. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific collocations and academic vocabulary. For instance, instead of 'work for a company', you could use 'traditional employment' or 'corporate environment'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include missing articles, incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'he work' instead of 'he works'), and punctuation errors, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters. The sentence structure is often repetitive, and the lack of proper punctuation makes some parts difficult to read. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles will help improve your accuracy.

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

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