Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-29

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)

Nowadays, many employers ask applicants to provide their personal details. Some people believe that such information is essential and useful, while others disagree. I agree with the latter view and will discuss both these views with relevant examples in the subsequent paragraphs. The main reason why personal information is not essential for a job application is that it does not necessarily reflect an applicant's ability to perform the job. For instance, a person's marital status and hobbies have little connection with a professional skills and qualifications. Moreover, some people may feel uncomfortable disclosing their personal information in their professional setting. Some applicants may choose not to apply for positions where personal details are compulsory. As a result, employers may sometimes miss the opportunity to hire highly skilled workers . Therefore, employers should make the personal information section as optional, allowing applicants to decide whether they are comfortable providing such details. On the other side, personal details can play a vital role while submitting a job application and the main reason is that they may help employers to select the suitable candidate by considering their interests and hobbies. For example, if a position requires employees to work onsite for most of their working period, the employer chooses the applicant who prefers this type of working arrangement. It can also contribute positively to an employee's overall productivity and is beneficial to employer for profit. However, by knowing the marital status of applicants, employers will get an idea about the health coverage expense needed for their family. Therefore, some employers may consider such personal details useful in certain circumstances, although applicants should be comfortable with providing them. To conclude, disclosing personal details to employers during the application process should not be compulsory, as this may discourage some qualified applicants from applying, meaning that employers could miss the opportunity to hire highly skilled workers. Therefore, personal information should be optional rather than compulsory.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—whether personal information is relevant and useful or not—and clearly states the writer's own opinion in the introduction and conclusion. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as considering marital status for health coverage expenses and onsite work preferences. The position is maintained clearly throughout the essay, and the arguments are logically structured. While some points could be expanded further to reach the highest bands, the task is thoroughly covered with clear supporting reasons, meeting the requirements of Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently linked, with appropriate paragraphing separating the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'As a result', and 'On the other side' are used effectively to guide the reader through the arguments. Although referencing and cohesion are generally well managed, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, placing this response firmly in Band 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision with phrases like 'marital status', 'professional setting', and 'compulsory'. Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation, such as 'working arrangement' and 'highly skilled workers'. There are occasional minor inaccuracies, such as 'a professional skills' instead of 'professional skills', but these do not impede communication, making Band 6.5 or a solid Band 7 appropriate. Given the control shown, a Band 7 is awarded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The essay exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating frequent error-free sentences alongside complex structures like conditional and relative clauses ('if a position requires employees to work onsite...', 'allowing applicants to decide whether...'). Control of grammar and punctuation is generally good, though there are minor slips such as 'beneficial to employer for profit' and 'a professional skills'. These infrequent errors rarely impede communication and the majority of sentences are accurate, securing a Band 7.

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