Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Nowadays, an increasing number of people prefer to become self-employed instead of working for a company or organisation. This is mainly because self-employment offers greater freedom and flexibility. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as unstable income and greater responsibility.

One major reason why people choose self-employment is that they can have more control over their working lives. Self-employed people can choose their own working hours and make important decisions without depending on a manager. As a result, they can enjoy greater independence and maintain a better work-life balance. For example, a freelance designer can decide when to work and accept projects according to their availability. Another reason is that self-employment can provide higher earning opportunities. People who run successful businesses or work with several clients may earn more than regular employees.

However, being self-employed also has some disadvantages. One major drawback is that income is often unstable. This is because self-employed people depend on customers, clients and business demand, which can change from month to month. As a result, they may face financial stress and find it difficult to manage regular expenses. For example, a freelance worker may have many projects in one month but very few in the next. Another disadvantage is that self-employed people have greater responsibilities. They may need to manage finances, customers and work schedules by themselves. Therefore, they may work longer hours and have less time for their families.

In conclusion, people mainly choose self-employment because of greater freedom, flexibility and earning opportunities. Nevertheless, unstable income and increased responsibility can make self-employment stressful and challenging.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing clear reasons for the rise in self-employment and identifying relevant disadvantages. The ideas are well-developed and supported with logical examples, such as the freelance designer scenario. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more nuanced analysis, perhaps by discussing the psychological impact of self-employment or the broader economic context, rather than focusing primarily on time management and income stability. However, the response is fully relevant and satisfies the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the reasons for self-employment and the subsequent disadvantages is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'As a result', 'For example', and 'Nevertheless' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The flow of information is natural, and the reader is guided through the argument without difficulty. The structure is coherent and supports the overall message effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses relevant terminology such as 'self-employed', 'freelance', 'financial stress', and 'business demand'. While the range is adequate, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions that would characterize a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is precise enough to convey the intended meaning clearly. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more varied and less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'This is because self-employed people depend on customers, clients and business demand, which can change from month to month.' The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is used correctly throughout. The control over grammar is consistent, and there are no errors that impede communication. While the range of complex structures is solid, further variety in sentence construction—such as using more inversion or conditional clauses—would elevate the score further.

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