Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02

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 8.0)

Job applications increasingly request personal details like marital status and extracurricular hobbies. While some people view this as an invasive or irrelevant practice, others argue it provides a holistic view of a candidate. From my perspective, while hobbies can offer valuable insights into a candidate's personality, sharing relationship status is necessary to gauge an employee's future goals.

On the one hand, proponents argue that personal insights help predict cultural fit and workplace performance. Hobbies often mirror soft skills that professional resumes hide. For instance, an applicant who captains a local cricket team naturally demonstrates leadership qualities, a better framework for teamwork, and stamin traits highly prized in management roles. Furthermore, understanding an individual's personal life helps human resource departments organise the rosters of newly appointed candidates, as well as foster a supportive corporate culture and gauge long-term retention.

On the other hand, critics argue that such inquiries violate personal privacy and introduce systemic discrimination. Marital status has no bearing on an individual’s technical competence or professional ethics. Historically, revealing that one is married or planning a family has led to concerns over impending parental and maternal leave, as employers might worry about having to hire new staff every year. For instance, in India, female employees are more likely to tender abrupt resignations shortly after marriage. Hence, human resource departments are left with an unwanted shortage of staff. Therefore, evaluating candidates based on their private relationships rather than their objective merits compromises the fairness of the recruitment process.

In my view, a strict boundary must be maintained between useful personal data and private life. Companies should encourage applicants to share interests and hobbies, as these showcase transferable skills and stress-management capabilities outside of work. However, marital status must remain strictly confidential during hiring to prevent nepotism or discrimination.

In conclusion, while hobbies are legitimately useful for identifying well-rounded employees, marital status is relevant to determining professional availability and should be kept confidential by the recruitment officer to ensure equal opportunity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both sides of the argument and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the distinction between hobbies as indicators of soft skills and the potential for discrimination regarding marital status. The inclusion of a specific example regarding recruitment in India adds depth to the argument. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the main points. The response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt's requirements for discussion and personal viewpoint.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth, using cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In my view.' Referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task. The flow of the argument is natural, and the reader is guided effectively through the writer's reasoning. There is a good balance of cohesive devices, which are used to link ideas rather than just acting as mechanical signposts.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The vocabulary is varied and appropriate for an academic/professional context. The writer demonstrates a good command of less common lexical items such as 'holistic view,' 'transferable skills,' 'systemic discrimination,' and 'objective merits.' Collocations are generally natural, and the tone is consistently formal. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. The use of vocabulary is precise, contributing to the clarity and sophistication of the arguments presented.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writer uses a wide range of complex structures with high accuracy. Sentences are well-constructed, and the majority are error-free. There is a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, and punctuation is used correctly to manage long, complex ideas. While there is a minor typo ('stamin' instead of 'stamina'), it is a rare slip that does not affect the overall quality of the writing. The control over grammar is strong, and the complexity of the sentence structures enhances the overall flow of the essay.

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