Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-30

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people think it's better to choose friends who always have the same opinions as them. Other people believe it's good to have friends who sometimes disagree with them.

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)

It is a common knowledge that some people choose friends who always have the same opinions as them while others believe that it's good to have friends who occasionally disagree with them. I think that a balance between both is better.

On the one hand, it is good to have friends who always agree with you because it shows that your friend group view situations the same way you'd view them. There are popular sayings to this effect, 'show me your friend and I'll tell you who you are' and 'birds of a feather flocks together'. These statements arise because it's a natural order to be friends with people with whom one shares similar convictions and ideas. For example, a friend group tend to agree on number of things like the better ways to make a meal, better clothing materials, parenting methods like gentle parenting, views on politics and business.

On the other hand, it is important to have friends who sometimes disagree with you. These friends help to strike a balance and help you view situations in another light that you hadn't considered earlier. There is also a saying that 'Only a true friend will tell you that you stink'. For example, one may believe that healthy lifestyle is over rated, diet and exercise are not important because eating junk makes you happy and the essence of life is to be happy. Having a friend who disagrees with this and helping one see things for a different perspective can boost the friendship bond and help the friend group become healthier overall.

In my opinion, I believe that a little bit of both is better. Choosing friends who are truthful and share their 2 cents when they agree with your opinion and when they don't is a healthy way to build a relationship. It is also important to say that the method of disagreeing should be friendly rather than hostile and confrontational. You'd avoid having friends that are just for show or are simply permissive regardless of your thoughts. These friends that are not afraid to disagree with you when it matters help to strike a balance and make you a better adjusted individual.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the discussion on lifestyle choices and parenting. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development of the arguments could be slightly more analytical; for instance, the discussion on why disagreement is beneficial could explore the psychological or social growth aspects in greater depth. However, the response is well-balanced and fully satisfies the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs discussing the opposing views, and a concluding paragraph that synthesizes the argument. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In my opinion', which help guide the reader through the text. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The progression of ideas is smooth, and referencing is generally clear. The flow is natural, and the structure supports the overall argument without being mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses some idiomatic expressions like 'birds of a feather flock together' and 'share their 2 cents' effectively. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary such as 'convictions', 'permissive', and 'confrontational'. While some phrasing is slightly informal, it does not impede communication. There are no significant spelling errors. To improve, the student could incorporate more precise academic collocations to elevate the tone of the essay further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is generally good control over grammar, though some minor errors exist, such as 'a common knowledge' (should be 'common knowledge') and 'a number of things' (missing 'a'). The use of punctuation is generally accurate. Complex structures are used to express opinions and provide examples, and these are mostly error-free. The errors present are non-systematic and do not cause any difficulty for the reader, which is consistent with a band 7 performance.

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