Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-19

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 4.0)

To begin with, there are several reasons why this topic is important in our daily life. The main reason is that [TOPIC] can have a direct effect on people and society. Many people face this issue in their daily lives, and it can influence their lifestyle in different ways. For example, it may affect people’s work, education, health, family life, or relationships. In addition, young people and families can also be influenced by this situation. Another important point is that [TOPIC] can have both positive and negative effects. It mainly depends on how people use it and how they deal with the situation. Therefore, people should understand this issue and think carefully before making any decision.

Moreover, there are some possible ways to improve the situation. People should have proper knowledge about the issue and should make responsible decisions. They should also understand the advantages and disadvantages before taking any action. The government, schools, and families can play an important role by providing guidance, education, and support. For instance, simple rules, useful information, and better awareness can help people make better choices. In this way, many problems can be controlled and people can have a better life. It is also important that everyone should take responsibility and work together to solve this issue.

In conclusion, [TOPIC] is an important issue that should not be ignored. It can affect individuals, families, and society in different ways. If people, families, schools, and the government work together, the negative effects can be reduced and the overall situation can be improved.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

The response fails to address the prompt regarding the advantages and disadvantages of telling children they can achieve anything. Instead, the essay relies entirely on heavily memorised, generic template phrases such as 'there are several reasons why this topic is important in our daily life' and repeatedly inserts placeholder tags like '[TOPIC]'. There is no discussion of the specific prompt topic, meaning the task requirements are not met, resulting in a low band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

Although the essay uses standard paragraph structures and generic transitional phrases like 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion', the overall progression fails because the content has no connection to the actual topic. The excessive use of placeholder tokens such as '[TOPIC]' severely disrupts the logical flow and meaning of the text, preventing any coherent development of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary used consists almost entirely of high-frequency, generic template phrases (e.g., 'direct effect', 'different ways', 'make responsible decisions'). The response contains no topic-specific vocabulary because the student relied on pre-memorised boilerplate sentences containing placeholders like '[TOPIC]' rather than generating appropriate lexical items for the prompt.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical structures within the template sentences are relatively simple and largely accurate (e.g., 'People should have proper knowledge about the issue'). However, the heavy reliance on rigid templates containing placeholders severely restricts the range of structures used, and the inability to form grammatically meaningful sentences about the actual topic leads to a low overall score.

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

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