Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-30

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 6.5)

It is a controversial debate about how parents can encourage their children to spend their free time performing in organized group activities. Others argue that it is highly beneficial for their development to learn independently. I will discuss both opinions in the following paragraphs and I believe that a combination of both approaches provides more benefits.

On one hand, participating in organized group activities helps children to develop social and interpersonal skills. By taking part in team activities, one can learn effective communication, collaboration and how to resolve conflict. For example, a child who joins a sports club can learn to cooperate with team members, develop leadership skills, follow instructions and respect rules. These experiences can boost confidence and help to deal with failure and success in a healthy way.

On the other hand, learning independently enables children to be more self-reliant and creative. Children who spend their free time alone reading books, painting or solving puzzles are more confident in problem-solving skills. Also, it improves their imagination and creativity, which can be helpful for their future goals. For example, J.K.Rowling spent great deal of time reading books which provoked his thoughts and nurture his creativity. Now he is a well-known writer all around the world.

Although each approach has its own benefit, I think that there should be a balance between both. While group activities develop social skills, solitary encourages independence and creativity. Parents should arrange both aspects as per their children's preferences and support them when prac

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the essay is slightly under the 250-word minimum, which impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments for group activities and independent play are relevant, the conclusion is cut off mid-sentence, preventing a full development of the final point. The example of J.K. Rowling is relevant, but the gender pronoun 'his' is incorrect, which is a minor factual slip. To reach a higher band, ensure that all arguments are fully extended and that the conclusion is complete, providing a more comprehensive summary of the points discussed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two viewpoints is managed well using cohesive devices like 'On one hand' and 'On the other hand'. However, the abrupt ending due to the incomplete final sentence disrupts the overall flow and coherence of the conclusion. The use of referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the ideas could be more sophisticated to move beyond basic linking words. Improving the variety of cohesive devices would help the essay flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with some good collocations such as 'interpersonal skills', 'resolve conflict', and 'self-reliant'. There are some minor errors in word choice and form, such as 'solitary' used as a noun instead of 'solitary activities' or 'solitude'. The range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring correct word forms in context, such as using 'nurture' correctly in the past tense.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'solitary encourages' (missing a noun) and the incorrect pronoun 'his' when referring to J.K. Rowling. The incomplete final sentence also leaves a grammatical error at the end of the text. While the meaning is generally clear and the errors do not significantly impede communication, the control over complex structures is inconsistent. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences and proofreading for minor subject-verb agreement or pronoun errors would improve the score.

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