Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their free time. Others say that it is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own.

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)

It is debatable whether children should be motivated to participate in group activities in their leisure time or they should be left on their own. From my perspective, children are innocent and at an early age, they need guidance from their parents, teachers and neighbours. We should not expect them to learn everything on their own because they are unaware about the world yet and learning without help may take longer time. This essay will outline both sides.

To begin, there are several reasons why children should be encouraged to socialise with friends. The first and foremost reason is that children may receive exposure of social lives. They can make friends from their age, enjoy different activities and learn from their friends. For example, participating in group activities allow them to enjoy free time, improve communication skills and cognitive skills. These skills will help them in all stages of lives in the future.

On the other hand, some conservative people advice that child should learn how to occupy themselves. They also assert that children should have to learn toughness from an early age because there are chances that they will not receive any help in the future. However, it is observed that a child who has spent his childhood in the dark may not ready to face difficult situations. They may build fear and stress over time. For instance, a child who has never participated in group activities may lack of communication and other social skills

To sum up, although children may not receive support from their guardian throughout their lives, encouragement from parents, teachers and relatives can build resiliency in them over time. It helps them to face difficult situations, overcome from challenges and enjoy their lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and give a position that favours guidance and organised social experiences, particularly in the introduction and conclusion. The discussion of group activities includes relevant benefits such as friendship and communication skills. However, the second view is not fully explained: the claim that children should develop “toughness” and manage without help is mentioned, but its value is not explored before the response shifts to the risks of isolation. Your own opinion is also somewhat difficult to pin down, since the essay argues for guidance but does not clearly say whether children should also have time to occupy themselves independently. Develop each side more evenly and state your position directly, then support it with a specific example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “To begin,” “On the other hand,” and “To sum up” helps readers follow the main stages. However, some connections between ideas are not fully clear. In the second body paragraph, the point about learning toughness is followed by a claim about a child who has “spent his childhood in the dark,” which does not clearly explain the relationship between independence and social isolation. The conclusion also introduces resilience without fully linking it to the earlier discussion. Use more precise referencing and add transitions that show whether an example supports or challenges a point; this would make the progression less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “socialise,” “communication skills,” “cognitive skills,” and “resiliency.” These choices help convey the main ideas, and the meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural word combinations, such as “receive exposure of social lives,” “make friends from their age,” and “overcome from challenges.” “Conservative people” is also not a precise description of people who favour independent play. These choices limit precision even when the intended meaning can be inferred. Aim to learn vocabulary in natural phrases and check whether a word fits the context, rather than relying on direct translations. More precise wording would make your arguments clearer and more convincing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “because,” “although,” and “who,” and most sentences communicate their main meaning. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with articles, agreement, and verb patterns. For example, “a child should learn” needs an article or plural form in the general statement, while “a child who has never participated … may lack of communication” uses an incorrect structure after “lack.” In “participating in group activities allow,” the subject requires a singular verb, and “may not ready” needs a form of “be.” These errors do not usually prevent understanding, but they reduce accuracy. Review sentence patterns and check each sentence for a complete verb phrase and agreement.

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