Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-28

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 6.5)

In contemporary era, hiring a perfect candidate for a specific position is difficult task for a hiring department. Some argue that employers can ask personal information such as leisure activities and marital status to people who apply for the roles. However, others do not agree with this statement. This essay will discuss both perspectives, and I will share my agreement with the former view.

To begin with, asking regarding hobbies and interests are useful and relevant. In other words, hobbies show individuals interests, creativity, teamwork and disciplinary skills. For example, a person plays a group sport, it represents that they have excellent communication, teamwork and leadership abilities. Similarly, someone who volunteers may show empathy and social responsibilities. Therefore, this can help employers to decide whether an applicant fit the company culture.

On the other hand, this information can be irrelevant and problematic because asking these types of questions during interviews can lead to discrimination. For instance, if a candidate is married, companies may assume that they are not flexible due to the family commitments. For this reason, they might favor single people, and it may unfair for those who are married or have children. Hence, involving personal information for every job which is unjustifiable for individuals.

In conclusion, although companies can ask some personal details to candidates while hiring them because this provides idea that they are perfect employees for this profession or not, assuming people based on marital status is irrelevant. I believe that employers have right to know about people some personal information like hobbies, but they should not ask detailed private history that are not useful for the hiring process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both sides of the argument and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the link between hobbies and soft skills, and the potential for discrimination regarding marital status. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat brief. While the points are logical, they could be extended with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarises the main points while reiterating the writer's stance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In other words', 'On the other hand', and 'For this reason' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. However, there are minor instances where the flow could be smoother, and some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the clarity of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the task and allows for clear communication. There is an attempt to use topic-specific language like 'hiring department', 'company culture', and 'discrimination'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'assuming people' instead of 'making assumptions about people' or 'disciplinary skills' when 'discipline' might be more accurate. To improve, the student should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of sophisticated vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'In contemporary era' (missing article), 'asking regarding hobbies... are useful' (subject-verb agreement), and 'it may unfair' (missing verb). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. The student shows an ability to use complex structures, but the control over these structures is inconsistent. Focusing on article usage and subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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