Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-21

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 7.0)

Many parents and teachers encourages children by telling them hard working alone is the key of success to achieve anything in a life. While this message can develop their confidence and motivation, it also carries certain downsides that are worth considering.

On one hand, teaching children that efforts leads success has clear benefit. It can be develop positive attitude towards challenges. benefits. It encourages a growth mindset, helping children believe that their abilities can improve through practice rather than being fixed from birth. For Instance, a student who struggles with mathematics may continue practicing because they believe that their performance can improve through hard work. This attitude can help children develop determination, self-confidence and a strong work ethic, which are useful throughout their lives.

However, telling children that they can achieve absolutely anything may also have negative consequences. Not every goal is realistic, and success often depends on factors such as natural abilities, financial circumstances, opportunities and competition. If children work extremely hard but still fail to achieve their goals, they may feel disappointed or believe that they are personally responsible for their failure. This can lead to frustration and a loss of self-confidence.

Furthermore, children may develop an unhealthy attitude towards achievement. If they believe that hard work always guarantees success, they might spend excessive amounts of time studying or pursuing a particular goal while ignoring their health, relationships or other important aspects of life. Therefore, children should be taught that effort is important, but that failure is sometimes unavoidable and can also be a valuable learning experience.

In conclusion, encouraging children to believe in the power of hard work can make them more motivated, persistent and confident. However, it can be harmful if they are led to believe that effort guarantees every desired outcome. Parents and teachers should therefore encourage ambition while also helping children understand the importance of realistic goals and accepting failure.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a balanced discussion on both the advantages and disadvantages of the message. The position is clear from the introduction and is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are well-developed, such as the discussion on the 'growth mindset' as an advantage and the potential for 'unhealthy attitudes' or 'frustration' as a disadvantage. The arguments are supported with relevant examples, such as the student struggling with mathematics. The conclusion effectively synthesizes the main points, offering a nuanced perspective that aligns with the requirements of a Band 8 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the advantages and disadvantages is smooth, using appropriate cohesive devices like 'On one hand,' 'However,' and 'Furthermore.' Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct arguments. While the flow is generally natural, there is occasional minor awkwardness in phrasing, but the overall structure is coherent and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The range of vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific language such as 'growth mindset,' 'determination,' 'work ethic,' and 'unavoidable.' There are some minor errors, such as 'hard working alone' instead of 'hard work alone' and 'efforts leads success' instead of 'effort leads to success.' However, these do not impede communication. The vocabulary is generally precise and demonstrates a good level of control, fitting the criteria for a Band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, and the grammar is generally accurate. However, there are a few persistent errors, such as 'It can be develop' (should be 'It can develop') and 'efforts leads success' (subject-verb agreement). These are occasional slips rather than systematic errors that hinder understanding. The punctuation is generally correct, and the control over complex structures is sufficient to warrant a Band 7.

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