Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-14

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)

It is often argued that parents should encourage their offsprings to participate in organised group activities, while others believe that children should entertain themselves. Although group activities provide valuable social and practical skills, I believe children should have balance of both activities.

On the one hand, taking part in group activities have several important benefits for children. Firstly, team activities such as sports, music groups and youth clubs teach childrens how to cooperate with one another. They can learn to communicate, share responsibilities and resolve disagreements, which are essential skills for both their personal and professional life. Secondly, organized group activities help children to develop discipline and commitment. For example, a child who regularly attends a football team must learn to manage their time and fulfill responsibilities towards their teammates. These experience can also help children to boost their confidence as they make freinds and achieve common goals.

On the other hand. there are also strong arguments for allowing children to spend time with themselves. When children are left to decide how to spend their free time, they can develop independence and creativity. For instance, they may choose to read a book, build something, draw or invent their own games. Such activities encourage them to be creative and make decisions without relying constantly on adults or organised programmes. Furthermore, having unstructured free time can give children an opportunity to relax after the demands of school or structured activities.

In my opinion, neither approach should be followed exclusively. While group activities are highly beneficial for developing their social skills, children also need opportunities to be alone and make their decisions. parents therefore encourage participation in suitable organised activities, while ensuring that children have sufficient unstructured time. This balaced approach is likely to help children become socially capable and independent.

In conclusion, organised group activities can teach children cooperation, discipline and confidence. whereas independent play can fosters creativity and self-relience. I believe that providing the balance of both is the most effective way to support their overall well-being.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that parents should encourage organised group activities and that children should learn to occupy themselves independently—and provides a clear personal opinion throughout. Ideas are well developed and extended. For instance, the discussion on group activities clearly explains cooperation, discipline, and confidence, while the counter-argument details how independent play fosters independence and creativity. Examples are well integrated, such as mentioning reading, building, or drawing for solo play, and sports or youth clubs for group activities. The position is consistently maintained and supported, satisfying the criteria for a Band 7.5 or 8.0, fitting comfortably at Band 7.5 due to slight generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with an introduction that outlines both views and a thesis, moving through well-structured body paragraphs, and concluding effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used skilfully and sufficiently. Referencing is generally clear, though minor punctuation errors near cohesive markers (e.g., 'On the other hand. there are...') create slight mechanical faults. Overall, the flow is smooth and coherent, aligning strongly with Band 7.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary that allows for flexibility and precision, attempting less common lexical items such as 'cooperate', 'unstructured free time', and 'self-reliance' (spelled 'self-relience'). There are some minor word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'offsprings' (plural of offspring is normally unchanged or 'children'), 'childrens' (incorrect plural), 'freinds' (spelling error), and 'fosters' used incorrectly with 'can' in the conclusion ('can fosters'). Despite these occasional lexical and spelling errors, communication is never impeded, and the range is adequate for a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or concessive clauses ('Although group activities provide...', 'When children are left to decide...'). There is a reasonable level of grammatical control, but a few noticeable errors persist. For instance, subject-verb agreement issues occur in 'taking part in group activities have' (should be 'has') and 'parents therefore encourage' (missing modal or tense marker, e.g., 'should encourage'). Additionally, minor prepositions and word forms occasionally falter, such as 'provide a balance' (missing article 'a' in 'have balance of both'). However, these errors rarely impede communication, placing the grammar securely in the Band 6.5 range.

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