Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-27
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 7.5)
Nowadays, children have many choices to spend their free time. Some people believe that parents should encourage their children to participate in organised group activities, while others think that children should learn how to entertain themselves independently. In my opinion, both activities are important, but children should have a balance between group activities and personal time.
On the one hand, many people believe that organised group activities are beneficial for children. The main reason is that these activities help children develop social skills and learn how to work with others. For example, joining sports teams, music classes, or clubs allows children to communicate with their friends and develop teamwork skills. Furthermore, these activities can improve children's confidence because they learn new abilities and face different challenges. Therefore, group activities can play an important role in a child's development.
On the other hand, some people argue that children should learn to occupy themselves alone. This is because independent activities help children become more creative and responsible. When children spend time alone, they can discover their own interests, solve problems, and make their own decisions. For instance, reading books, drawing, or playing educational games can improve their imagination and concentration.
In my view, both options have advantages, but children should not spend all their free time in organised activities. Having some personal time is necessary because it helps them become independent, while group activities teach valuable social skills.
In conclusion, although organised activities provide opportunities for teamwork and communication, independent activities are also important for personal growth. I believe parents should encourage a healthy balance between both types of activities.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as 'joining sports teams' for group activities and 'reading books' for independent ones. While the development is logical and clear, it remains somewhat standard and could benefit from more depth or nuanced analysis to reach the highest band. However, the task is fully addressed, and the arguments are well-structured and relevant to the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The essay is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth, using standard cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. The use of referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate. The flow of information is logical, making the essay easy to follow. To improve, the student could experiment with a wider variety of cohesive devices to avoid relying on common transitional phrases, which would make the writing feel more sophisticated and less mechanical.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The vocabulary used is adequate and appropriate for the task. The student demonstrates a good command of topic-specific language, such as 'organised group activities', 'social skills', 'independent', and 'personal growth'. While the range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly and precisely, it lacks the 'less common' or 'idiomatic' items that would characterize a higher band score. The word choice is accurate, and there are no spelling errors. To reach a higher band, the student should aim to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and nuanced vocabulary to express ideas with greater precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay shows a good control of grammatical structures. There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'Although organised activities provide opportunities for teamwork and communication, independent activities are also important for personal growth.' The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors that do not impede communication. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. To achieve a higher band, the student should aim to include a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as inversion or more advanced conditional sentences, while maintaining the current high level of accuracy.
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