Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-13

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)

While a number of individuals believe that parents should motivate their children to participate in organised group activities in their spare time, others argue that it is crucial for children to learn how to engage themselves independently. Although both viewpoints have merit, I believe that group activities can not only enhance children's communication skills and but also boots their confidence.

On the one hand, proponents are of the opinion that parents should support their children in group activities. The key reason is that young people should utilise their spare time in learning to interact with team members. This may, in turn, develop their both communication skills and confidence. For instance, in the USA, a large number of parents encourage their parents to participate in sports and debate competitions at schools. If children take part in such competitions, they will learn how to respect other's opinions. Consequently, involving in organised group activities in their free time can develop children's communication skills.

Conversely, opponents contend that it is essential for children to learn how to use their spare time to keep themselves occupied. One significant reason is that engaging their mind in doing something they enjoy is the main priority. To illustrate, many children in India, learn how to spend their weekends to focus on arts and music apart from their academics. This is largely because spending time with their hobbies allows them to be creative and learn at their own pace. Although it is important for children to learn how to occupy their time wisely, it is necessary for parents to monitor how their children are spending their spare time.

In conclusion, a segment of the population believes that it is crucial for children to learn occupying their free time, whereas others consider it as the parents's encouragement which will make their children to participate in group activities. From my perspective, participating in collaboration can facilitate effective communication and self-confidence.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on children's activities and clearly stating a personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The position is clear throughout the response. Ideas are extended and supported, such as mentioning American students participating in sports and debate competitions, and Indian children focusing on arts and music. However, there is a tendency to slightly over-generalise or repeat points, particularly regarding communication skills and confidence, which appear multiple times without adding much new development. For instance, stating 'develop their both communication skills and confidence' and repeating a similar thought later in the paragraph slightly limits the depth of elaboration. Overall, the response meets the requirements for a Band 7 as all parts of the prompt are addressed with a clear position and supported ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving effectively from an introduction to the two opposing views, and finally a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'While', 'On the one hand', 'Conversely', and 'In conclusion' are used flexibly and appropriately to signpost the structure of the argument. Paragraphing is managed well, ensuring the text is easy to follow. Referencing is generally clear, though minor mechanical phrasing occasionally occurs, such as 'encourage their parents' instead of 'encourage their children' in the body paragraph, which slightly disrupts referential clarity. Nonetheless, the overall cohesion supports a smooth reading flow, fitting the Band 7 descriptor well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow for some flexibility and precision, using terms such as 'proponents', 'opponents', 'collaborate', and 'facilitate effective communication'. There are occasional attempts to use less common lexical items, showing some awareness of style. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors that prevent a higher score. For example, the phrase 'boots their confidence' contains a misuse of the verb (intended 'boosts'), and 'encourage their parents' in the second paragraph is an erroneous slip of reference. Furthermore, phrases like 'involving in organised group activities' demonstrate minor grammatical-lexical infelicities. These errors do not impede communication, placing the lexical resource firmly at a Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses ('While a number of individuals believe...', 'Although both viewpoints have merit...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating a fair degree of control over grammar and punctuation. However, several grammatical errors persist throughout the text. Examples include 'develop their both communication skills', 'involving in organised group activities' (gerund usage error), 'learn occupying their free time' (missing preposition or gerund adjustment), and 'parents's encouragement'. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they prevent the essay from achieving a higher band where a majority of sentences would need to be error-free with flexible control. This performance aligns with Band 6.

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