Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-13

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)

In the present times, therev is a greater preference towards being self-employed rather than working within an organisation or a company. There are a lot of reasonds why this happens and one of these could be the rapid sgrowth and spread of digital literacy and the avenues that have been opened for people around the world. The rise of social media has provided individuals with ample of possibilities for growth; not only on an individual level but also on a financial or professional level. To extend on this line, starting a small business on social media or choosing to freelance has provided people to choose a specific skill and work on that and through that earn a living instead of sending CVs that outline a number of different skills one might possess and on the basis of which be hired for a job. This seems like a waste of time when you have the opportunity to make a living by choosing just one tool from your skillset and setting out to not only earn money from it but also honing and mastering it over the course of this time, therefore just focusing on one trajectory than chasing to many to fall through. For example, someone starts a small business on Instagram selling crochet toys; what this allows is not only having a asteady income but also the flexibility, in terms of time, and the comfort of doing this work from home.

However, despite the benefits of self-employment, it is also important to be mindful and aware of the drawbacks. It can be argued that self-employment does not labour the fruits that a job in an organization would. An example of this could just be the mere social contact that one creates through working a job with so mabny other people, which is generally not the case with self-employment. It can also be argued that self-employment also does not provide one with the opportun9ity to grow in the same way working a job may do. For example, the satisfaction and gratification of being promoted or climbing the corporate ladder is not something that is offered in self-employment.

So in the light of this discussion, it can be concluded that the type of employment one might find themselves doing depends a lot on the goals and aspirations that one sets for themselves.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both questions and maintains a relevant focus. It gives plausible reasons for self-employment, especially opportunities created by social media and the ability to earn from a particular skill, and illustrates this with the Instagram crochet business. It also identifies disadvantages, including reduced social contact and fewer opportunities for promotion. However, the reasons are developed more fully than the drawbacks: the disadvantages are stated briefly, with little explanation of their practical effects. The conclusion summarises the choice in terms of personal goals, but does not bring the main points together. To strengthen the response, explain consequences—for instance, how limited interaction may affect support or wellbeing, and how a lack of promotion could restrict career development.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall structure: an opening, a paragraph explaining reasons, a contrasting paragraph on disadvantages, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “However” and “So in the light of this discussion” help signal the direction of the argument, and the example is placed alongside the point it supports. Within paragraphs, though, some sentences are very long and carry several connected ideas, making the progression harder to follow. Phrases such as “To extend on this line” and “It can also be argued” feel formulaic, while “this” in “what this allows” has an imprecise reference. Use shorter sentences to separate claims and explanations, and make links between each disadvantage and its effect more explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses a suitable range of topic vocabulary, including “self-employed,” “freelance,” “skillset,” “flexibility,” and “corporate ladder.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and the writer attempts more specific expressions such as “social contact” and “financial or professional level.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “ample of possibilities,” “does not labour the fruits,” and “chasing to many to fall through.” There are also spelling slips such as “reasonds,” “asteady,” and “mabny,” which reduce control. Aim for natural combinations and check spelling carefully; precise, conventional phrasing will make the argument clearer without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is an attempt to use both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “rather than,” “which,” and “when.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but some sentences are overloaded, and grammatical control is uneven. For example, “starting a small business … or choosing to freelance has provided people to choose” has an unclear structure and verb pattern; “what this allows is not only having … but also the flexibility” does not maintain a parallel construction. The sentence beginning “This seems like a waste of time” also runs through several ideas without clear punctuation. Break long sentences into manageable units, check that subjects and verbs match, and use parallel forms when joining two benefits or actions.

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