Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-16

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)

In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything as long as they work hard enough. This message can have both positive and negative effects. While it can encourage children to become more motivated and confident, it may also create unrealistic expectations about success.

On the one hand, telling children that hard work can help them achieve their goals can motivate them to persevere when they face difficulties. If children believe that their efforts can make a difference, they may be more willing to study, practise new skills and overcome challenges. For example, a student who finds mathematics difficult may continue studying and practising instead of giving up easily. In addition, this message can help children develop confidence and a positive attitude towards failure. They may see mistakes as opportunities to learn rather than as reasons to stop trying. As a result, they can become more determined and independent as they grow up.

On the other hand, this message can sometimes give children unrealistic expectations. Hard work is important, but it does not always guarantee success because other factors, such as natural ability, financial circumstances and available opportunities, can also affect people's achievements. For instance, a child may dream of becoming a professional athlete and spend many years training, but physical ability and strong competition may prevent them from reaching this goal. Moreover, children who fail despite working hard may blame themselves and think that they simply did not try enough. This can lead to disappointment, stress and a loss of confidence.

In conclusion, telling children that they can achieve their goals through hard work can encourage them to be motivated, confident and persistent. However, parents and teachers should also explain that effort is important but does not guarantee success, so that children can have realistic expectations and deal with failure in a healthy way.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of telling children they can achieve anything through hard work. A clear position is established in the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. The ideas are well-extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the student who finds mathematics difficult and the child who dreams of becoming a professional athlete. The response meets all the requirements of Band 7 by fully addressing the prompt with a clear position and well-supported ideas, avoiding over-generalisation by balancing natural ability, financial circumstances, and effort.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, starting with an introduction, followed by a well-structured body paragraph for advantages and another for disadvantages, and concluding with a summary. Cohesive devices are used effectively and flexibly, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'For example', and 'In addition'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the flow of ideas is smooth and natural. The progression of thought is easy to follow, making this a solid performance that fits the Band 7 descriptor for logical organisation.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision, suitable for an academic task. Phrases like 'unrealistic expectations', 'financial circumstances', and 'natural ability' demonstrate a good control of less common lexical items with an awareness of style and collocation. Word choices are generally accurate, and although there is some reliance on standard phrasing, the vocabulary allows the writer to convey precise meanings about psychological and practical aspects of the prompt without impeding communication. Spelling and word formation are entirely accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writer displays a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, yielding frequent error-free sentences. Examples of complex structures include conditional clauses ('If children believe that...') and relative clauses ('...a child who may dream of...'). Control of grammar and punctuation is strong throughout the response, with only rare slips or minor awkwardness. The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors do not impede communication at any point. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 7 descriptors for grammatical range and accuracy.

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