Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-20

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 6.5)

In some cultures, children are frequently encouraged to believe that they can achieve anything if they work hard enough. This message can have several benefits, such as building confidence and encouraging persistence. However, it can also create unrealistic expectations and make children blame themselves when they fail.

One major advantage is that this belief can motivate children to work harder. If children think that effort can help them achieve their goals, they are more likely to continue studying, practising, or developing new skills when they face difficulties. For example, a student who struggles with mathematics may be encouraged to practise regularly instead of giving up. In addition, this message can build self-confidence and a positive attitude towards challenges.

On the other hand, telling children that hard work can achieve anything may give them unrealistic expectations. Some goals depend not only on effort but also on natural abilities, financial circumstances, opportunities, health, or competition. For instance, a child may work extremely hard to become a professional athlete but still fail because they do not have the physical ability required at the highest level. In such situations, children may feel disappointed or believe that their failure is entirely their fault.

In conclusion, encouraging children to work hard can develop motivation, confidence, and resilience. However, they should also be taught that effort is important but does not guarantee success. A balanced message would encourage children to do their best while helping them understand and accept realistic limitations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The essay addresses both the advantages and disadvantages of the prompt clearly. The position is consistent throughout, and the arguments are well-supported with relevant examples, such as the student struggling with mathematics or the aspiring athlete. However, the response falls slightly short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which is a negative factor in Task Achievement. While the ideas are well-developed, the brevity prevents a more thorough exploration of the topic, which would be necessary for a higher band score. To improve, ensure you expand slightly more on the implications of these messages in different societal contexts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'On the other hand', and 'For instance' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is coherent. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate a wider variety of cohesive devices or use more sophisticated referencing to improve the flow between sentences even further.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task. You use terms like 'unrealistic expectations', 'natural abilities', and 'resilience' effectively. The range is sufficient to convey your ideas clearly and with some precision. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more idiomatic expressions or less common collocations that demonstrate a deeper command of the language, such as 'inherent limitations' instead of 'realistic limitations' or 'foster a sense of' instead of 'build'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a good command of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly. You successfully use conditional structures ('If children think that...') and relative clauses. There are no significant errors that impede communication. To move into the higher bands, aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as inversion or more advanced passive constructions, while maintaining the high level of accuracy you have already demonstrated.

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

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