Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-09

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 often argued that children should participate in group activities such as playing, swimming, and public speaking whereas others believe that they should learn self-learning skills. This essay will represent both views and provide a clear conclusion at the end.

To begin with, group activities equip kids with social skills and build confidence. Moreover, they can learn about different cultures and traditions as they interact with students from different nations. For example, a learner from Japan can tell his moral values and beliefs regarding working in groups that could be beneficial for other students. In addition, while engaging with other kids, children can adapt conversational skills which further aids them in future.

On the other hand, children are prone to easily distract from their path under the influence of other kids. To explain this, when a child sees an inappropriate behavior and thinks it is impressive, can easily become rude and non- respective person in future. Therefore, children should play on their own to learn how to handle difficult situations independently. For instance, in case of bullying kids can protect themselves as they know how to survive in that kind of situation.

In conclusion, although independent learning equips students with self-control and self-protection, I strongly believe that engaging in group activities outweigh the advantages as it provides confidence speaking and broaden the knowledge about different cultures and values. Hence, decision should be made by keeping the pros and cons of both ideologies and steps important to build a well-being of children.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding children being distracted by others is a relevant point, but the example provided about bullying is slightly disconnected from the premise of 'distraction'. The conclusion is clear, though the phrasing 'engaging in group activities outweigh the advantages' is grammatically awkward and slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explained with more logical depth and specific, well-integrated examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs. There is a progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the final sentence where the connection between the 'decision' and the 'well-being of children' is a bit vague. Overall, the paragraphing is sufficient and appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'equip', 'ideologies', and 'non-respective' (though the latter is an incorrect collocation). Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'adapt conversational skills' (should be 'adopt' or 'develop') and 'non-respective' (should be 'disrespectful'). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'children are prone to easily distract' (should be 'prone to being easily distracted') and 'can easily become rude and non-respective person' (missing article and incorrect adjective). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to sentence construction and proofreading for minor errors would be beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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