Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-10

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 5.0)

Some individuals believe that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their spare time. Others argue that it is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own. In my opinion both of these statements have their own merits and demerits which we will further discuss in this essay.

First of all, when children to take part in organised group activities in their free time, they develop skills and abilities which can aid them in their careers. They can learn to socialize with their peers, make new friends, gain knowledge and develop teamwork and leadership skills. All these skills are very useful in today's competitive job market. For example, on Indeed, a popular job platform, almost every job requires communication and interpersoanl skills among applicants.

On the other hand, when children learn to occupy themselves on their own in free time, it helps them to become independent. Children can learn to enjoy thier own company and develop new hobbies such as singing, dancing, painting and cooking. It helps them to spend their time in a productive manner, which makes them smart. For example, BBC news has reported in an article that children who spend thier free time alone have higher IQ levels as compared to the children who takes part in group activities.

In conclusion, although taking part in group events help children to learn social and interpersonal skills, which is useful for their career, children who learn to to occupy themselves on their own in free time can also learn useful life skills which make them unique and talented.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You discuss both views and give a balanced opinion, noting that group activities can build teamwork and communication while independent time can foster independence and hobbies. However, your position is not fully clear: “both of these statements have their own merits and demerits” does not explain which approach you favour or how parents should balance them. Several claims are under-developed, especially the assertion that solitary children have higher IQ levels, which relies on an unverified reference to BBC News rather than explanation. The response also contains 227 words, so it is 23 words below the required minimum; the 42 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. Develop your reasoning and examples further, and state your view more directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “First of all,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers identify the stages of the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is limited: ideas are mostly listed, rather than linked through explanation, and the conclusion largely repeats points already made. Some connections are unclear, such as how spending time alone “makes them smart.” The opening also promises to discuss “merits and demerits,” but the body mainly presents benefits of each view. To improve, organise each body paragraph around one main claim, then explain its consequences and connect the example clearly to that claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “teamwork,” “leadership skills,” “independent,” and “productive manner.” There is some variety in how you describe children’s activities and potential benefits. However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, including repeated use of “skills” and “free time.” Spelling errors such as “interpersoanl” and “thier” are noticeable, and “which makes them smart” is an imprecise way to express the intended benefit. Some phrasing, such as “both of these statements,” is also less natural than referring to the two approaches or views. Aim for more precise collocations and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “when” and “although,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in sentence construction and agreement. For example, “when children to take part” is missing a verb form, while “children who takes part” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. The conclusion contains “children who learn to to occupy,” with an unnecessary repeated infinitive marker. There are also problems with plural agreement in “group events help” and “which is useful,” where the reference is unclear. Practise checking each sentence for a complete verb structure, agreement between subject and verb, and clear pronoun references.

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