Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-11

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)

There is an ongoing debate on whether to encourage children to participate in organised group activities or let them decide their own individual activities. There are pros and cons of both the approaches and there should be a balance between the two.

The trend of group activities has been increasing rapidly, especially from a younger age. Parents are forcing their children to enrol in every possible activity and trying to schedule the whole day for their children leaving no time for them to get bored or play freely. Not only do they encourage them to take part in co-curricular activities at the school, they also make their children do the activities after school. Children are joining all kinds of classes from cricket, football to chess and so many more.

There are a lot of individuals who believe that it is important for kids to have free time, get bored and make their own activities. This can encourage them to be creative and think out of the box. Furthermore, when kids have limited toys and free time, they tend to notice their surroundings and they tend to appreciate the little things, not only does that allow them to be more curious, it also increases their interest in the group activities. Various psychologists have published their research on the benefits of giving free time to children and allow them to get bored.

In conclusion, though there are certain advantages of enrolling kids in group activities, that should not completely occupy a child's schedule and there should be some idle time left for the child to get bored, explore their surroundings and be creative.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The paragraph regarding group activities focuses heavily on the negative aspect of 'forcing' children, which feels slightly one-sided rather than discussing the inherent benefits of such activities as requested. The second body paragraph is better developed, explaining the benefits of independent play. To reach a higher band, ensure that both sides are explored with equal depth and that the personal opinion is more explicitly integrated throughout the essay rather than just mentioned in the introduction and conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Not only do they', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph could be smoother. Additionally, some referencing is slightly repetitive, and the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences within paragraphs more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. You use some good phrases like 'ongoing debate', 'co-curricular activities', and 'think out of the box'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler vocabulary in places. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations or topic-specific vocabulary related to child development. For instance, instead of 'make their children do', you could use 'compel their children to engage in'. The word choice is accurate, and there are no spelling errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use some complex structures effectively, such as 'Not only do they encourage them to take part in... they also make their children do...'. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'pros and cons of both the approaches' (the 'the' is unnecessary) and 'allow them to get bored' (should be 'allowing them'). Despite these, the grammar is generally accurate, and the errors do not cause any difficulty for the reader. A wider variety of complex sentence forms would help achieve a higher score.

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