Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-27

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 6.5)

In recent years, a growing number of people have chosen to be self-employed rather than work for a company. This essay will discuss the reasons for this trend and its disadvantages.

There are several reasons why people prefer self-employment. The main reason is freedom and flexibility. Unlike traditional jobs with fixed hours, self-employed people can decide when and where to work. This allows them to achieve a better work-life balance. For example, many freelancers work from home and spend more time with their families. Secondly, modern technology has made self-employment easier. The internet and platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and YouTube allow anyone to start a business with little investment. Moreover, people feel they can earn more money by working for themselves instead of getting a fixed salary from an employer.

However, being self-employed has some serious disadvantages. The biggest problem is financial insecurity. Self-employed workers do not have a stable monthly income. Their earnings depend on clients, so in some months they may earn a lot and in others nothing. This makes it difficult to plan for the future. Another disadvantage is the lack of benefits. Company employees usually get paid holidays, sick leave and health insurance, but self-employed people do not. In addition, they have to do all the work themselves, such as finding customers, marketing and managing accounts. This can be very stressful and lonely.

In conclusion, although self-employment is attractive because it offers independence and higher income potential, it also involves risks like unstable income and lack of support and benefits.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly explaining both the reasons why people choose self-employment and the potential disadvantages of doing so. The position is well-maintained throughout the essay. In the second paragraph, the student explores reasons such as flexibility, technological advancements, and income potential, supporting these points with relevant examples like Upwork, Fiverr, and YouTube. In the third paragraph, the disadvantages are clearly delineated, covering financial insecurity, lack of employee benefits, and the heavy workload associated with managing every aspect of a business independently. All ideas are extended and supported effectively, showing a strong understanding of the prompt requirements. The overall treatment of the task comfortably aligns with the descriptors for a Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: an introduction, reasons for self-employment, disadvantages, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively to guide the reader, such as 'Secondly', 'Moreover', and 'However'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring that different themes do not bleed into one another. While the progression is logical and easy to follow, the cohesive devices are somewhat standard rather than sophisticated, placing this response securely within the Band 7 range for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating less common lexical items such as 'financial insecurity', 'work-life balance', and 'independent'. Word choices are generally appropriate, and terms like 'freelance', 'marketing', and 'investment' demonstrate a good handle on topic-specific vocabulary. There are occasional slight limitations in style and range, but spelling and word choice are accurate, and communication is never impeded. The lexical control displayed meets the criteria for Band 7, allowing for some flexibility and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or participial clauses such as 'Unlike traditional jobs with fixed hours, self-employed people can decide when and where to work.' There are frequent error-free sentences, and control of grammar and punctuation is generally strong throughout the text. Minor slips are rare and do not impede communication at all. The variety of structures and reliable accuracy place this response at the upper end of Band 7.

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