Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-26

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 6.5)

In many societies, children are encouraged to believe that they can accomplish any anything through hard work. While this concept has certain benefits in terms of boosting student's self confidence and discipline, it also brings notable drawbacks by creating unrealistic expectations and causing stress in some cases.

One major advantage of encouraging children in this way is to increase their self confidence. When a student believes their efforts can lead to success, they become more vigillant and hard working in their tasks. For instance, a student who is weak in mathematics may practice more everyday in order to achieve high grades. Another benefit includes that if a student face failure, he would not stop trying and will continue to do hard work in order to achieve success. Such students develop patience, determination and problem-solving skills. Hence hard work is indeed a key to success and students who do hard work are able to achieve their goals.

However, there are several disadvantages as well. In some cases, this mindset creates unrealistic expectation in students. For some children, hardwork alone cannot gurantee success and they are held back by other factors like lack of resources, limited opportunities and circumstances beyond their control. Consequently, such students who work hard but could not achieve their desired goal due to other factors will face stress and start experiencing self-doubt. Therefore, it is important for societies to tell students that despite of hard work, failure occurs in some cases.

In conclusion, hard work leads to success but thats not always the case. Hence, students should be teached in a way that they can handle failure well and not stop trying.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both advantages and disadvantages and maintain a clear overall view: the message can encourage effort, but children should also learn that failure is possible. The examples about practising mathematics and persisting after failure support the benefits, while limited resources and opportunities explain why effort may not always bring the desired result. This covers the task well, with some development beyond a simple list. However, a few points remain general: the claim that hard work helps students develop “problem-solving skills” is not explained, and the consequences of unrealistic expectations could be illustrated more fully. To strengthen the response further, develop these ideas with a specific explanation or example and clarify how adults can encourage effort without promising unlimited success.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear four-paragraph structure, with separate paragraphs for the advantages and disadvantages and a conclusion that returns to the central issue. The progression is easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “For instance,” “However,” and “Consequently” help show how ideas relate. Some connections are less smooth or slightly mechanical: “Another benefit includes that” is an awkward transition, while “Hence” appears in both the advantages paragraph and the conclusion without adding much each time. The reference in “Such students” is understandable, though it could be more precise about which students are meant. For stronger cohesion, use a wider variety of natural transitions and make links between claims and explanations more explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss effort, achievement and its limits, including “self confidence,” “unrealistic expectation,” “limited opportunities,” and “self-doubt.” These choices make the main argument clear, and some phrases, such as “circumstances beyond their control,” are appropriate to the topic. However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision: “vigillant,” “gurantee,” and “hardwork” are inaccurate, and “do hard work” is less natural than “work hard.” There is also some repetition of “success,” “student,” and “hard work.” Aim to check spelling and collocations carefully, and vary repeated terms with precise alternatives such as “achievement,” “pupils,” or “sustained effort.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a conditional example (“When a student believes their efforts can lead to success…”) and a relative clause (“factors… beyond their control”). Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “if a student face failure” needs subject–verb agreement, and “students who… could not achieve” shifts awkwardly in tense. The conclusion’s “students should be teached” uses an incorrect passive form; “should be taught” is needed. Other patterns, such as “despite of hard work,” also need correction. Review agreement, verb forms and preposition patterns, while continuing to use complex sentences and checking them for accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.