Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-17
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)
Some individuals believe that it's more beneficial to surround yourself with friends who agree on everything. While others assert that the real friends are someone who disagree on things and show you different perspective. This essay will discuss both views and will give reasons why i believe a balanced approach should be taken in this situation.
On one hand, many people believe that the friends who have similar opinion can understand the situation better. when someone is in self-doubt to pursue something, they can motivate and show support. Even when they hold a different take on the situation a true friend should make an effort to respect others choice. For example, if an individual decides to take a break from his job due to high stress, a true friend can really come forward and understands his situation and help him through his decision. Moreover, many people don't open up to their family members and seek comfort and understanding from a friend.
However, others argue that supporting a friend without rectifying them could invite more problems in future. friends should be allowed to put forward their opinion and discuss the repercussions of any given problem. For instance, if a person is indulging in wrong habits such as drinking, smoking or spending money recklessly, in such situation a true friend can stop him and help him get out of that situation. In my opinion, it's crucial for a friend to present his opinion even if it's hurtful but beneficial. Also show support and motivation when needed, it is very rightly said that a true friend will always speak out wrong thing and support in bedtimes.
In conclusion, although agreeing in certain situation can work as support and motivation for one, but it's very important to have different opinion on situation that can help one to get different perspective.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the role of friends in providing emotional support versus the role of friends in providing constructive criticism. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the example regarding a friend helping someone quit 'wrong habits' is a good start but could be expanded with more specific detail to fully explore the nuance of the argument. The position is consistent throughout, but the essay would benefit from a more thorough exploration of why a 'balanced approach' is the most effective strategy.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On one hand', 'However', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and there are instances where the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the final sentence of the second paragraph feels slightly disconnected from the preceding argument. Additionally, the use of referencing is occasionally imprecise, which slightly affects the overall flow of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'repercussions', 'indulging', and 'perspective'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'support in bedtimes' (likely meaning 'bad times') and 'speak out wrong thing'. These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band score. More precise and varied vocabulary would enhance the quality of the argument.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'friends who... disagree' vs 'friends who... disagrees') and article usage (e.g., 'in such situation'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and missing commas. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, the writer should focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and diversifying their sentence structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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