Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22

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 7.5)

While some argue that families should motivate their offspring to participate in team activities in their leisure time, others think that it is crucial for them to self-entertain themselves. To my way of thinking, parents should engage children in group activities because group sessions develop interpersonal skills which contribute to cognitive development, whereas isolation might affect their mental health negatively.

On the one hand, some think if children learn to keep themselves busy, they become self-dependent and can survive longer periods of isolation. They learn how to occupy themselves without being dependent on other people. For example, during the COVID-19 epidemic when all schools were closed for three months, children learnt to entertain themselves by playing and learning new things on their digital devices. However, it affected their interpersonal skills and mental well-being negatively.

On the other hand, children who actively participate in organized group activities such as dance, music or sports classes in their free time, not only possess higher levels of team spirit, but also develop social and communication skills. This practice contributes to their overall cognitive development by developing their interpersonal skills. For instance, young kids participating in a martial arts class on weekends, learn discipline, team spirit and resilience in their life. Therefore, active participation in such group activities enhances their physical and mental well-being.

In conclusion, although encouraging children to entertain themselves makes them self-dependent, I believe motivating them to participate in organised activities improves their physical and mental health and also develops their social skills which will foster a cohesive society by encouraging interdependence in the future generation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, particularly the benefits of group activities. The argument for self-entertainment is also addressed, though the transition between the benefits of independence and the negative impact of isolation during the pandemic could be more nuanced. Overall, the position is consistent and supported by relevant examples, such as martial arts classes and digital device usage, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

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 use of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore' is effective. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions between sentences could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band. However, the structure is clear and the progression of the argument is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. You demonstrate a good range of topic-specific language such as 'interpersonal skills', 'cognitive development', 'resilience', and 'cohesive society'. There is some flexibility in word choice, and the meaning is always clear. While there are no major errors, the range is not quite 'wide and flexible' enough to reach Band 8, as some phrasing is slightly repetitive (e.g., 'entertain themselves'). Overall, the lexical control is solid and supports the argument well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'While some argue that... others think that...', and '...not only possess higher levels of team spirit, but also develop social and communication skills.' Grammar is generally accurate, with only minor slips, such as the slightly redundant 'self-entertain themselves' in the introduction. Punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of ideas. The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating good control over complex structures.

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