Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-15

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)

Some people believe that parents should encourage their children to participate in organized group activities during their free time. Others argue that children should learn how to spend their free time by themselves. This essay will discuss both views and explain why i believe that children should experience a balance of both.

On the other hand, taking part in organized can be highly can be beneficial . The main benefit is that such activities help them develop social skill. By playing sports, joining clubs or participating in group classes, Children learn how to communicate , co-operate and solve problem with other. For example, A child play with a team can learn how to work towards a common goal and respect different views. Moreover group activities can increase children's confidence because they have opportunities to make friends with family.

On the other hand, learning to occupied themselves is also an important part of a child's development . When children spend some of their free time alone, they can become more independent and responsible. They may choose to read books , draw , listen to music or develop a personal hobby without depending on others. For instance, a child who spends time reading alone can improve their imagination and concentration. In addition , having some personal time allow children to relax think about their own interests instead of constantly following a fixed schedule.

In my view , parents should provide a combination of both type of activities. Although group activities are essential for developing communication and team work skills.

In conclusion , organized group activities help children develop valuable social and team work skills. Whereas spending time alone encourage independence and creativity. I believe that neither approach and a healthy balance between the two is the most beneficial choice for children.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, such as the benefits of social skills from group activities and the development of independence through solitary time. However, the development is slightly uneven; the conclusion is a bit repetitive, and the third paragraph is incomplete, ending with a sentence fragment ('Although group activities are essential for developing communication and team work skills.'). To reach a higher band, ensure that all sentences are complete and that the personal opinion is fully integrated into the body paragraphs rather than just stated in the introduction and conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' are used to guide the reader through the arguments. However, there are some minor issues with mechanical cohesion, such as the awkward phrasing 'make friends with family' and the incomplete sentence in the fourth paragraph. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transition between the final body paragraph and the conclusion is slightly abrupt due to the unfinished sentence structure. Improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'organized group activities', 'independent', and 'responsible'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'learning to occupied themselves' (should be 'occupy') and 'make friends with family' (which is contextually confusing). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but more precise and varied vocabulary would be needed for a higher band score. Spelling is generally accurate, but the misuse of basic verb forms occasionally hinders the sophistication of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the writer attempts complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, such as 'A child play with a team' (should be 'playing'), 'solve problem' (should be 'problems'), and 'allow children to relax think' (should be 'relax and think'). The most significant issue is the sentence fragment in the fourth paragraph, which disrupts the grammatical flow. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring all sentences have a main verb would significantly improve the accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.