Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-27

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 several societies, young individuals are frequently encouraged to believe that they can accomplish any goal as long as they put in enough effort. While this message can highly motivate children and build resilience, it can also lead to severe psychological pressure and disappointment when expectations are not met.

On the one hand, inspiring children with this mindset has significant advantages. The primary benefit is that it builds self-confidence and a strong work ethic. When children believe that success depends on their effort rather than talent alone, they are more likely to work hard at school and pursue ambitions career goals. Furthermore, this massage teaches them resilience. Instead of giving up immediately when they face a difficult problem or fail an exam, they understand that they need to try again and change their strategy to succeed.

On the other hand, there are distinct disadvantages to telling children they can achieve absolutely anything. The main drawback is that it ignores real world limitations and creates unrealistic expectations. Not everyone possesses the same natural talents,economic background, or opportunities , meaning hardwork alone does not guarantee success in competitive fields like professional sports or music. When children grow up believing this message blindly and eventually fail to reach their goals despite trying their best, they often experience severe stress,anxiety, and a sense of personal failure. They might blame themselves entirely, which can damage their self-esteem.

In conclusion, encouraging children to believe that effort unlocks any achievement is highly beneficial for developing determination and confidence. However, it is essential to balance this message by teaching them to accept their limitations and understand that failure is a normal part of life, rather than a sign of inadequate effort.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of telling children they can achieve anything. A clear position is maintained throughout the response, starting from the introduction and reinforced in the conclusion. The ideas are well developed and extended; for instance, the advantage of building resilience and the disadvantage of ignoring real-world limitations are explained logically and supported with relevant examples, such as competitive fields like professional sports or music. The response easily meets all the requirements of Band 7 and exhibits strong qualities associated with Band 8 due to the thorough exploration of the prompt without unnecessary digressions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from introduction to the advantages, the disadvantages, and a balanced conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively and appropriately, such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'On the other hand', which guide the reader effortlessly through the arguments. Paragraphing is managed skilfully, and referencing throughout the text is clear. While a few minor mechanical errors in punctuation exist (such as spacing around commas in phrases like 'opportunities , meaning'), the overall cohesion remains strong and meets the criteria for Band 7.5 easily.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The writer uses a sufficient and generally flexible range of vocabulary suited to an academic essay. Less common lexical items and collocations are attempted with good awareness of style, such as 'build resilience', 'strong work ethic', 'natural talents', and 'personal failure'. There are occasional minor inaccuracies in word choice or collocation, such as 'ambitions career goals' (instead of 'ambitious career goals') and a couple of minor typographical or spacing issues. However, the vocabulary is varied enough to allow precise conveyance of ideas, and errors do not impede communication, placing the response comfortably within the Band 7 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The response employs a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, demonstrating sound grammatical control. Examples include conditional and participial-like constructions such as 'When children believe that success depends on their effort rather than talent alone, they are more likely to work hard...' and 'Instead of giving up immediately when they face a difficult problem...'. The majority of sentences are error-free. While there are a few minor punctuation and spacing errors (e.g., 'opportunities , meaning hardwork...'), these are rare and non-systematic. The level of grammatical control and variety reflects a solid Band 7.5 performance.

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