Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-20

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 7.5)

Nowadays, an increasing number of people choose to become self-employed rather than work for a company or organisation. This trend can be explained by the desire for greater independence and flexibility, although self-employment also involves several significant disadvantages.

One major reason why people become self-employed is the freedom it provides. Employees usually have to follow fixed working hours, company policies and instructions from managers. In contrast, self-employed people can often decide when, where and how they work. This can be particularly attractive to parents or people who value a better balance between their professional and personal lives. For example, a freelance graphic designer may choose to work from home and arrange their schedule around family responsibilities.

Another reason is the possibility of earning more money. Although self-employed people do not receive a guaranteed salary, successful business owners and freelancers can increase their income by taking on more clients or expanding their businesses. In addition, some people prefer being responsible for their own success rather than helping to increase the profits of an employer. Modern technology has also made self-employment more accessible, as people can now sell products and provide services online without necessarily needing a physical office.

However, self-employment has several drawbacks. The most obvious disadvantage is financial uncertainty. Unlike regular employees, self-employed workers may not have a fixed monthly income, paid holidays or employer-provided benefits. If there are few customers or economic conditions become difficult, their earnings can fall considerably. For instance, a freelance photographer may have many bookings during the wedding season but very little work at other times of the year.

Furthermore, self-employed people often have to deal with responsibilities that would normally be handled by an employer, such as accounting, marketing, finding clients and managing taxes. This can lead to long working hours and considerable stress. They may also find it difficult to separate work from their personal lives because there is no clear boundary between the workplace and home.

In conclusion, self-employment is becoming increasingly popular because it offers independence, flexibility and the potential for higher earnings. Nevertheless, these benefits come with financial insecurity, additional responsibilities and potentially longer working hours. Therefore, people considering self-employment need to carefully consider both the freedom it offers and the risks involved.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student fully addresses all parts of the prompt, providing clear reasons why people choose self-employment (such as independence, flexibility, and financial potential) and discussing the disadvantages (financial uncertainty, administrative responsibilities, and long working hours). The position is well-maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant, realistic examples, such as the mention of a 'freelance graphic designer' and a 'freelance photographer'. The response demonstrates a thorough understanding of the task requirements without any omissions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced with a clear overall progression from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, such as freedom in paragraph two, financial potential in paragraph three, and drawbacks in paragraphs four and five. Cohesive devices are used naturally and appropriately, such as 'In contrast', 'Another reason', and 'Furthermore'. Paragraphing is used skillfully to separate different concepts, ensuring the text flows smoothly and is very easy to read.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student uses a wide and appropriate range of vocabulary relevant to the topic of employment and business, such as 'self-employed', 'financial uncertainty', 'employer-provided benefits', and 'economic conditions'. Less common lexical items are used with good awareness of style and collocation, like 'accessibly', 'boundry', and 'freelance'. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies or common collocations, but the vocabulary is fully adequate for precise and flexible communication throughout the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures used accurately, such as conditional clauses ('If there are few customers...') and concessive clauses ('Although self-employed people do not receive...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and grammar and punctuation are controlled very well. There are only occasional minor slips that do not impede communication. The control of verb tenses and modal verbs is consistently strong across all paragraphs.

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