Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-16

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 6.0)

It has been noticed by many parents that their children learn and adapt manners and attitudes from not only schools, but rather from their friends and common groups in their free time. This essay will cover whether such informal way of learning should be encouraged or discouraged by the parents.

Parents, who encourage their kids to participate in group activities, usually claims that groups help their children to learn team work, public speaking, and better interpersonal skills. For example, in a football match, each player is allocated a certain set of job; the performance of that player is then measured against not only how better he performed individually, but rather how better he performed collectively with his team mates during the match. A solo performance would rarely achieve the desired results for the team. Additionally, children working with other kids who come from different areas and cultures share their experiences and knowledge in the group, this helps children to respect the diversity and develop better communication skills.

However, some parents still discourage their kids to join groups. Such parents believe that exposing children to other children of different natures and habits is a risky approach. Letting the children to participate in such groups can let them learn habits which are not morally and ethically acceptable. For example, children coming from the background of dysfunctional families have totally different attitudes in comparison to children from well organised families. Moreover, it has been noticed that children are never mature enough to filter out the discussions which are don't fall within the parameters and objectives of a group, therefore, they get diverted to their main purpose and started taking interests in other activities. For instance, a group of children preparing for quiz competition, might get distracted by a child who would tell a story of his last vacation trip with his family to an outside country, where he enjoyed playing the video games.

Have stated above both opinions, It has been recommended by many experts to know the group nature before making decision to encourage children to join a group. For example, sports activities can only be performed in groups, so therefore it should be encouraged by parents; however, parents should screen the team players and help their children to understand that how to get away from spoiled children and get their attention to the purpose of the group only. For the groups which are usually into study, a precautionary approach should be taken to avoid children joining the crowd and instead focusing on core study materials.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on children participating in group activities versus learning to occupy themselves on their own, and provides a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the football match illustration and the discussion of children from dysfunctional families. However, the position tends to generalize slightly in places, and some arguments could be further sharpened. Overall, the task is well-handled and meets the criteria for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving from the introduction to the benefits of group activities, the drawbacks of such groups, and a balanced conclusion. Cohesive devices are used adequately, such as 'For example', 'However', and 'Moreover', though some referencing could be smoother. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, guiding the reader effectively through the writer's arguments, which aligns well with the Band 7 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, attempting less common items such as 'interpersonal skills', 'dysfunctional families', and 'precautionary approach'. However, there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'adapt manners' instead of 'adopt manners' and 'get diverted to their main purpose' instead of 'get diverted from their main purpose'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary is adequate for the task, securing a solid Band 6.5 or 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures appropriately. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'Parents, who encourage their kids...', 'how better he performed', and 'Have stated above both opinions, It has been recommended'. Additionally, punctuation errors like unnecessary commas appear throughout the text. These errors occasionally disrupt the flow but rarely impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.

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