Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-27

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)

There is considerable debate about how children should spend their free time. While some people believe that parents should encourage organised group activities, others argue that children should learn to entertain themselves independently. I believe that both are important and that a healthy balance is the most beneficial approach.

On the one hand, organised activities such as team sports, music groups and clubs can help children develop valuable social skills. By interacting with their peers, children learn how to cooperate, communicate and resolve disagreements. These activities can also teach discipline and responsibility because children are expected to attend regularly and contribute to a team. For example, playing football can help a child understand the importance of teamwork while also improving physical fitness.

On the other hand, independent play allows children to develop creativity and self-reliance. When children are not constantly given structured activities, they have to decide how to use their time and solve problems on their own. Reading, drawing or building with toys can encourage imagination and concentration. Furthermore, learning to enjoy their own company can help children become more confident and less dependent on others for entertainment.

In my opinion, parents should encourage both types of activities rather than focusing exclusively on one. Children need opportunities to socialise and learn teamwork, but they also need sufficient unstructured time to explore their own interests. For instance, a child could participate in a sports club twice a week while spending the remaining free time reading or playing independently.

In conclusion, group activities provide important social and practical skills, whereas independent play promotes creativity and self-reliance. A combination of both can support a child's overall development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—organised group activities and independent play—and clearly stating a well-developed personal position. The introduction presents the stance that a healthy balance is beneficial, and this position is maintained throughout the essay. Each body paragraph presents relevant, extended ideas supported by appropriate explanations and examples, such as team sports fostering social skills and unstructured time enhancing creativity. The ideas are thoroughly developed and directly relevant to the prompt, fulfilling the criteria for a high band score. The writer successfully addresses all components of the rubric with precision and clear, logical reasoning, demonstrating strong overall task response without any significant omissions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression from the introduction, through the two body paragraphs exploring opposing views, to a balanced personal opinion and conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', and 'For instance' are managed well to connect ideas smoothly without feeling overly mechanical. Referencing throughout the text is clear, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the progression of arguments. The structural flow of the essay meets all the requirements for a strong coherence and cohesion score.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and flexible range of vocabulary suited to the task. Words and phrases such as 'considerable debate', 'develop valuable social skills', 'cooperate, communicate and resolve disagreements', and 'unstructured time' show good control and precision. There are occasional attempts at less common lexical items, and word choices are generally natural and accurate. Although the vocabulary is perhaps not as sophisticated or wide-ranging as required for a Band 8 or 9, it is precise enough to convey complex ideas clearly and effectively. Minor spelling or collocation errors are absent, reflecting a solid command of everyday and topic-specific lexis.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures alongside accurate simple sentences. The writer successfully uses subordinate clauses and conditional elements, such as 'While some people believe that...', 'When children are not constantly given structured activities...', and 'because children are expected to attend regularly'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control is well maintained throughout the text. Punctuation is accurate, and punctuation errors do not occur. The flexibility of sentence forms and the high level of accuracy place this response comfortably in the Band 7 or 8 range, showing strong command over syntactic structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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