Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-09

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 about whether parents should encourage their children to participate in organised group acticities during their free time or allow them to spend time independently. While group activities help children develop social skills and teamwork, I believe both approaches are important for their overall development.

On the one hand, participating in organised group activities offers several benefits to children. Firstly, such activities help them develop good communication and teamwork skills, which are essential for their future personal and professional lives. When children participate in sports, music classes, dance classes or any other group acticvities, they learn how to cooperate with others and respect different opnions. For example, children who play football in a team learn the importance of cooperation, patience and responsibility. Therefore, group activities play a significant role in developing children's social abilities.

On the other hand, allowing children to spend time independently is equally beneficial. One major advantage is that it encourages creativity and problem-solving skills. When children engage in activities such as reading, drawing or solving puzzles alone, they learn how to make decisions on their own without depending on others. Moreover, spending time alone make them emotionally independent and develop their personal interests. For example, a child who enjoys a child who enjoys painting independently may discover a hidden talent on his own and gradually improve their artistic skills. As a result, independent activities contribute significantly to children's personal growth.

In conclusion, although organised group activities help children develop social and communication skills, spending more time alone encourages creativity and independence. I believe parents should maintain a balance between both types of activities to make sure their children develop into a confident and responsible individuals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address both views and maintain a clear position: the conclusion recommends a balance between group and independent activities. Each side is supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as football developing cooperation and solo painting helping a child discover an artistic ability. This fits the descriptor because the ideas are extended and supported, rather than merely listed. To strengthen the response further, develop the practical implications of your position: for instance, explain how parents might balance scheduled activities with unstructured time, or why the right balance may vary between children. The discussion is clear and relevant throughout, though some claims about future personal and professional benefits remain broad.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response is organised effectively into an introduction, two contrasting body paragraphs and a conclusion. The progression is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the discussion’s structure explicit. Within the paragraphs, “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “For example” help connect reasons to illustrations. This is a strong, logical arrangement with clear progression. To make cohesion more flexible and less dependent on familiar signposting, vary the transitions and use more precise references between ideas. For example, the sentence beginning “As a result” could refer more directly to the specific benefits just discussed, rather than restating the general value of independent activities.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “teamwork,” “cooperate,” “problem-solving,” “emotionally independent,” and “personal growth.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and some phrases show an effort to be precise. However, the range is not consistently flexible: “activities,” “develop,” and “skills” recur, while several spelling slips—“acticities,” “acticvities,” and “opnions”—reduce accuracy. Some phrasing is also broad, such as “good communication and teamwork skills.” To move beyond this level, use more varied, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, you could distinguish “structured extracurricular activities” from “independent pursuits” and specify the particular abilities children gain.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a range of sentence forms, including complex clauses such as “While group activities help children develop social skills and teamwork, I believe both approaches are important” and “When children engage in activities …, they learn how to make decisions.” Many sentences are accurate and punctuation generally supports the meaning. A few errors remain. In “spending time alone make them,” the singular subject requires “makes”; “a confident and responsible individuals” has a mismatch between the article and plural noun; and “a child who enjoys a child who enjoys painting” contains an unintended repetition that disrupts the sentence. Proofreading for agreement and sentence editing would improve control while preserving your varied structures.

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