Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-19

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 has been argued by some individuals that juveniles should be guided by their parents to participate in group activities in order to pass their leisure time, while others believe that they should choose themselves what they want to do in their free time. This essay will discuss both aspects, and in my opinion, joining group activities in their free time is better option for youngsters.

On the one hand, some people believe that children should decide themselves how they want to spend their free time as it has some advantages. Firstly, by doing this, they can feel a sense of freedom and they could also know how to make decisions alone. This could help them to make decisions about their career in the future. Secondly, they might be developed some internal skills such as artwork and painting skills. while spending time on their own. Consequently, they can also pursue their careers in these professions.

On the other hand, encouraging by their parents to participate in group activities has several benefits. One of the main reasons is that at this age, children do not know what is more beneficial for them, but parents have more experience in their life; therefore, they should motivate them to participate in group activities. Another main benefit is that social and communication skills can be developed better if adolescences can interact with other kids while doing activities in group. For example, if a child plays football with other team members rather than playing alone, he will definitely talk to his team members which would enhance his communication and social skills. This skills are necessary to succeed in their future life. Furthermore, children would also learn how to help others and share things with others if they join group activities.

In conclusion, although spending their leisure time themselves has some benefits such as developing internal and decision making skills, I largely agree with those people who think that children should participate in activities with others in their free time as they can improve their social and communications skills. In fact, they can also learn to help others and share things with others.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the benefits of independence for decision-making and the social advantages of group activities. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. For instance, the point about 'artwork and painting skills' is a bit disconnected from the broader concept of learning to occupy oneself. The argument for group activities is stronger and better supported with the football example. To reach a higher band, ensure that all supporting points are fully explored and directly linked to the core argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' 'Firstly,' and 'Consequently,' which help guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there is occasional repetition of phrases like 'share things with others.' Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. The progression of ideas is generally clear, though the link between individual activities and career development could be more smoothly integrated to improve the overall flow.

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 less common vocabulary, such as 'juveniles' and 'adolescences' (though the latter is used incorrectly as a noun for the people rather than the period). Some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'pass their leisure time' instead of 'spend their leisure time.' While the range is sufficient to convey meaning, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Improving collocation and using more natural phrasing would enhance the quality of the writing.

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 'they might be developed some internal skills' (passive voice error) and 'This skills are necessary' (subject-verb agreement error). Additionally, 'encouraging by their parents' should be 'being encouraged by their parents.' While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. The writer demonstrates an ability to construct complex sentences, but the control over these structures is inconsistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct passive voice construction will help improve 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.