Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-05
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 6.0)
Having different opinions among friends results in gaining knowledge and strong bonding between friends. There are some people who do not favour disagreements with peers' notions. Whereas others are opposed to this assertion. I will discuss this statement in the paragraphs ahead, including my opinions and relevant examples.
Let's begin by looking at the first statement that similar thoughts and ideas among friends always end up with strong friendship relations, as they never face clashes in their conversations and make a better understanding among them. For example, two successful business partners' similar imagination could lead to better development and productivity because they could work collaboratively without any disputes or conflicts.
Turning to the other side of the statement, distinct thoughts or views could lead to fights or aggression since friends as co-workers could experience an imbalance of work-life, which could spoil their cooperation and teamwork quality at work, where they will not be able to focus on their work as well. Moreover, their workplace stress could affect their mental health because debates never result in positive outcomes.
In conclusion, although similar views and notions make friendships strong and beneficial for successful people, different opinions have major drawbacks which could not only affect friends' mental wellbeing but also spoil the workplace environment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both sides of the argument but fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, coming in at 211 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, which remain somewhat superficial. While you state your intention to provide an opinion, it is not clearly articulated or maintained throughout the essay. The conclusion does not explicitly state which side you favor, leaving the reader unsure of your final position. To improve, ensure you expand on your points with more detailed examples and clearly state your personal opinion in both the introduction and the conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Turning to the other side' and 'In conclusion'. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is a bit abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more naturally. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the brevity of the content makes the structure feel underdeveloped.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'collaboratively', 'disputes', and 'wellbeing', but there is also some repetitive language and slightly unnatural collocations, such as 'similar imagination' instead of 'similar perspectives' or 'similar outlooks'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to the topic of social relationships and workplace dynamics.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For example, 'Having different opinions among friends results in gaining knowledge' is slightly awkward; a better phrasing would be 'Having friends with different opinions can lead to personal growth.' There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and refining complex sentence structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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