Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-01

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 if they try hard enough. This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message.

To begin with the positive side, one significant advantage is that it builds children's confidence and motivation. If parents and teachers encourage children by telling them that they can achieve anything through hard work, this can boost their self-confidence and motivate them to work harder. As a result, they may become more willing to take on difficult tasks and make greater efforts to achieve their goals. Another benefit is that this message can teach children the importance of persistence. When children face failure, they may be more likely to try again instead of giving up immediately. This can help them develop a positive attitude towards challenges.

However, there are also some disadvantages of giving children this message. The main drawback is that it can create unrealistic expectations. Hard work is certainly important, but it does not always guarantee success because people have different abilities, opportunities and circumstances. For example, a child may work extremely hard to become a professional athlete, but they may not have the physical ability required for that career. Therefore, telling children that they can achieve absolutely anything may give them an unrealistic view of life. Another disadvantage is that children may blame themselves when they fail. They might believe that they did not work hard enough, which can make them feel disappointed or under pressure.

In conclusion, telling children that they can achieve anything through hard work can increase their confidence, motivation and persistence. However, it can also create unrealistic expectations and cause children to blame themselves for failure. Therefore, children should be encouraged to work hard while also understanding that success depends on several factors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully 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 essay, and the main ideas are well-extended and supported with logical explanations, such as building confidence and creating unrealistic expectations. However, there is a slight tendency to over-generalise certain points, which places the response firmly within this band. To reach a higher level, the ideas could be developed with even greater depth or specific, nuanced examples rather than general scenarios, ensuring that all parts of the prompt are explored with comprehensive insight.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

There is a clear logical organisation and progression throughout the essay. The response is divided into appropriate paragraphs, starting with an introduction, moving through well-differentiated body paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and concluding neatly. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Another benefit', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Nevertheless, some cohesive relationships are slightly standard and mechanical rather than flexible and sophisticated. To achieve a higher score, the writer could employ more subtle referencing and seamless transitions between paragraphs without relying heavily on formulaic transitional phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for clear communication of ideas. Words and phrases such as 'self-confidence', 'persistence', 'unrealistic expectations', and 'circumstances' demonstrate a solid command of everyday academic language. There are also successful attempts to use less common items like 'professional athlete' and 'disappointed or under pressure'. However, the vocabulary lacks the precision, stylistic flexibility, and sophisticated collocations characteristic of higher bands, remaining somewhat predictable throughout. Occasional minor slips in word choice prevent it from reaching the next level, and incorporating more idiomatic or precise lexical chunks would elevate the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The essay displays a strong control of grammar and punctuation, featuring a variety of complex structures used with good accuracy. Frequent error-free sentences appear throughout the text, such as conditional structures ('If parents and teachers encourage children...') and well-managed subordinate clauses. The punctuation is handled correctly, and verb forms and tenses remain consistent and accurate. While the control is strong, a few minor slips persist, and the range of complex syntactic structures could be slightly wider and more adventurous to attain a top-tier score. Overall, the grammatical execution is polished and rarely interferes with readability.

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