Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-28

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)

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. In my opinion, this information is very relevant and useful because it help employers in finding out about the qualities and skills of the candidate, and determine its suitability for the role.

I believe that hobbies and interests tell us a lot about the person. For example if someone enjoys playing chess in his or her free time, it tells us that the person enjoys problem solving tasks. Similarly, if the candidate is a sportsman, it reflects that the person is resilient, determined, and hardworking.

Additionally, there is also a reason behind asking about the marital status of the candidate. There are all type of roles, some of the roles are risky while, some can involve a lot of travelling and staying away from home. Therefore, marital status tells the employer about the personal circumstances of the candidate so that they can determine its suitability for the role.

On the other hand, this information might not be relevant and useful, as personal circumstances keep changing and some people might be willing to undertake risky tasks or roles involving travelling irrespective of their marital status. Therefore, it might not be correct to determine the suitability only based on the answers of these questions.

Moreover, it is also true that hobbies or interests can not tell you everything about the person. A person might not be a sportsperson and can still be very resilient and hardworking.

In conclusion, I would say that such questions are very much relevant, as they help the employer to learn about the candidate and find its suitability for the role, however, it is also true that these responses alone might not be conclusive.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on whether personal information like hobbies and marital status should be requested by employers, and provides a clear position. The ideas are extended and supported, particularly regarding how hobbies reflect problem-solving skills or resilience, and how marital status relates to job roles. However, there is a minor tendency to over-generalise and slightly repetitive reasoning regarding determining suitability. The position is maintained throughout the essay. According to the band descriptors for Task Achievement, this performance aligns well with Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from the introduction and stance, through arguments for the utility of personal information, counter-arguments, to a clear conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Additionally', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the progression of ideas is easy to follow, earning a solid Band 7 score.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision with terms like 'resilient', 'determined', 'conclusive', and 'suitability'. There are some attempts at less common lexical items, but also noticeable inaccuracies in word choice or reference, such as using 'its' instead of 'their' when referring to candidates ('determine its suitability'). Overall, the vocabulary is adequate and communicates the points clearly, which fits the Band 6 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively, such as conditional and concessive structures ('Although...', 'For example if someone enjoys...'). There are some minor grammatical errors present, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('hobbies or interests can not tell you') and pronoun agreement ('determine its suitability' where 'candidate' is pluralized or referenced neutrally). However, these errors rarely impede communication and the punctuation is generally controlled, placing it comfortably in Band 6.

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