Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-04

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information, such as their hobbies and interests, and whether they are married or single. Some people say that this information may be relevant and useful. Others disagree.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.0)

This is true that your personal life should be irrelevant of your professional life. However, I believe hiring managers may ask questions about marital status and hobbies during interviews so they can have a clear idea of where the person is standing with them and so they can be pre-prepared for all kind of circumstances. We will discuss both views before concluding that why it is okay for companies to ask these questions as it might help save the company's resources.

Most people find these type of questions irrelevant and awkward. Because some companies may ask about marital status, children and what you do in your free time to get an idea of a person's personality and to judge if they can stay with the company for longer periods. Undoubtedly, It is a taboo in our society that when we hear that a women is married, the companies automatically make assumptions that she is going to leave soon. Or they might have to invest in her more, as she may have to take maternity leaves in future. And I have seen many companies rejecting many women based just on that.

However, some companies may ask for it so they can be prepared before-hand for any type of situation. As many companies now give maternity leaves of two months and handle the charges for delivery as well. Companies may ask such questions so they can have a back up member ready for that person. As for the hobbies and interests, I believe companies ask about it to get an idea about how vigilant and multi-tasking that person is. So I don't see a problem with telling about hobbies and interests.

To sum that up, I think it is okay for companies to ask such questions. But they must ask them professionally and keep the employee information confidential. As some people are not comfortable sharing their personal details.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, particularly the discussion regarding gender bias and maternity leave, which adds depth to the argument. However, the development is somewhat uneven; the explanation of why hobbies indicate 'vigilance' is a bit thin and could have been expanded with more concrete examples. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that every argument is supported by a more detailed explanation or a specific example to avoid over-generalization.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Undoubtedly', and 'To sum that up' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally repetitive. For instance, the use of 'some companies' at the start of multiple sentences could be improved by using more varied cohesive structures or pronouns to link ideas more fluidly. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'confidential', 'vigilant', and 'taboo'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'irrelevant of' (should be 'irrelevant to') and 'prepared before-hand' (should be 'prepared beforehand'). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Expanding the use of collocations and more precise academic terminology would enhance the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are frequent minor errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'This is true that' (should be 'It is true that'), 'all kind of circumstances' (should be 'all kinds of circumstances'), and 'a women' (should be 'a woman'). Additionally, there are some issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be beneficial.

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.