Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-20

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 7.0)

A few individuals contend that children should participate in planned group activities whereas others believe that it is vital for youths to learn how to keep themselves busy in their free time. This essay will discuss both the viewpoints. In my opinion, parents should take a balanced approach and teach their children social skills along with developing their decision making abilities.

To commence with, the main reason why some parents want their children to enroll in organized group activities is that they want to develop their social skills. To elaborate, since playing in a group requires them to communicate internally with their teammates, they will learn how to communicate, respect and adjust with them. This will not only boost their interpersonal skills but will also develop their leadership and team building qualities. As a result, their confidence will increase significantly. For example, schools frequently organize group projects in order to promote a healthy coordination between students and develops their people management skills.

On the other hand, some people think that children should be allowed to choose themselves what to do in their free time. The dominant reason is that it fosters their decision making skills and makes them responsible. To expound, Although youths can make wrong decisions due to lack of knowledge, parents believe that it will teach them life lessons through trail and error. Furthermore, making decisions is also a critical step towards developing a sense of ownership. For example, children who make their own decision are naturally more responsible and confident. Failures teach them what not to do next time in order to succeed. These qualities can be missing in young individuals who depend on their parents for each and every decisions.

To conclude, this essay has discussed that developing people skills is a reason why some parents want their kids to participate in organized teamwork. On the contrary, some mothers and fathers want their children to learn through errors. Hence they want them to learn how to occupy themselves on their own. In my opinion, parents should take a balance approach so that their children can learn majority of skills to succeed in life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported. For instance, the discussion on social skills and team-building in the first body paragraph is logical and clearly linked to the prompt. The second body paragraph effectively explores the benefits of independent play, such as fostering decision-making and responsibility. While the development is consistent, the conclusion could be slightly more nuanced to fully reflect the 'balanced approach' mentioned in the introduction. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between the two main viewpoints is smooth, using phrases like 'On the other hand' and 'To commence with'. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'To elaborate', 'Furthermore', and 'As a result', which help guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the discussion. The referencing is generally clear, though some minor improvements in the variety of linking words could elevate the flow further.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally appropriate for the task. You demonstrate a good range of topic-specific language, such as 'interpersonal skills', 'team-building', 'decision-making abilities', and 'ownership'. There are occasional minor inaccuracies in collocation or word choice, such as 'communicate internally with their teammates' (which sounds slightly unnatural) and 'trail and error' (which should be 'trial and error'). However, these errors do not impede communication. The range is adequate to convey your ideas with precision, and you show an awareness of style suitable for an essay format.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures throughout the essay. There is good control over basic grammar, and complex structures are attempted with reasonable success, such as 'Since playing in a group requires them to communicate... they will learn how to...'. However, there are some persistent minor errors, such as 'each and every decisions' (should be 'decision') and 'a balance approach' (should be 'a balanced approach'). Despite these occasional slips, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is generally accurate. The grammatical control is sufficient to ensure that your meaning is always clear.

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