Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-15

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough. What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?

Student answer (Band 6.0)

It is argued in some cultures that children should be taught the importance of hard work from very early stage of life to achieve any goal and this method is certainly efficient to get success. Although this mindset is beneficial in some cases but it has few shortcomings. This essay will discuss both viewpoints in subsequent paragraphs.

One of the major advantages of trying too hard is that a person does not regret later in life about not putting best efforts. This gives a sense of satisfaction and relief that one has given all to reach the target. Additionally, this creates a positive mindset and motivates a person to never quit. Anyway working hard is a prerequisite to claim success in any field. If a person is dedicated and focused about his target then it is easier to accomplish it as well.

Despite a few advantages, given statement has few disadvantages too. Firstly, it is not always hard work that pays off for a person's achievement but destiny also play a major role. It happens a lot of times that a child gives 100% but is not able to achieve a target because of poor luck. Secondly, only hard work without careful planning does not give results. Hard work should be accompanied by smart work to reach the destination.

To recapitulate, message given to students about working too hard can be beneficial as well as detrimental. Moving forward, it is important to optimize the benefits of working too hard to ensure positive outcomes for the individuals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both the advantages and disadvantages of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'destiny' is a bit abstract and could have been better supported with a concrete example of how this mindset might lead to psychological pressure or burnout. The position is clear throughout, but the conclusion is slightly repetitive and lacks a strong summary of the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with clear reasoning or examples rather than just stating them briefly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Additionally', 'Despite', and 'Firstly', which help the flow of the text. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Anyway working hard is a prerequisite'. The referencing is generally clear, though the connection between sentences could be smoother in the second paragraph. Overall, the progression of ideas is coherent, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at less common collocations, such as 'prerequisite to claim success' and 'optimize the benefits'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'trying too hard' (which carries a negative connotation not intended by the prompt) and 'get success' (which should be 'achieve success'). The range is sufficient but lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'from very early stage of life' (missing article), 'given statement has few disadvantages' (missing article), and 'destiny also play a major role' (subject-verb agreement). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The punctuation is generally correct, but the control over articles and prepositions needs improvement to achieve greater accuracy.

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

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