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)

Few individuals believe that it is good to choose friends who always have similar opinions to them, so they are more comfortable communicating and sharing activities, whilst others think that it is great to have friends who sometimes disagree with them, as they make better decisions and lead to more interesting conversations. I believe that choosing friends who have distinct perspectives is better as opposed to having similar opinions, as there decision are different, which builds trust and always leads to distinct conversations. I can discuss both views along with my opinion in upcoming paragraphs.

On the one side, those who believe that making friends who have similar opinions is better because if they have the same decisions, they are more comfortable with each other and share their thoughts without any hesitation. Apart from that, they also have the same hobbies, so they share their activities with each other and enjoy themselves while giving their opinions.

On the contrary, there are some people who think that it is great to have friends who have different perspectives. Firstly, they make better decisions, as everyone has their own opinion, so sometimes one of the people is right, which seems to lead to a better opinion in the end. Moreover, friends who have different opinions also have interesting conversations, as they sometimes debate with one another, which seems interesting and joyful.

In conclusion, I believe that having friends who have different opinions is good, as they have different opinions and kind of debate, so it is joyful and also informative because everyone shares their different views compared to those friends who have similar views and opinions.

AI examiner evaluation

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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that friends with different opinions lead to 'better decisions' and 'interesting conversations,' these points are not fully extended with concrete examples or deeper analysis. The arguments remain somewhat repetitive, particularly in the conclusion where the same points are restated without adding new insight. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph provides a specific example or a more detailed explanation of why these dynamics occur in real-life friendships.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one side,' 'On the contrary,' and 'Moreover' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the use of these devices is occasionally mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. Some referencing is slightly repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'they' and 'opinions.' Improving the variety of linking phrases and ensuring that each paragraph has a more distinct topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'distinct perspectives' and 'hesitation.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a noticeable reliance on simple, repetitive language (e.g., 'good,' 'great,' 'interesting,' 'different'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and collocations related to social interaction and intellectual debate. For instance, instead of repeating 'different opinions,' you could use 'divergent viewpoints' or 'contrasting perspectives' to demonstrate a wider lexical range.

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 errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'as there decision are different' contains a possessive error ('their') and a subject-verb agreement error. Additionally, some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'they share their activities with each other and enjoy themselves while giving their opinions.' Increasing the variety of complex structures and proofreading for basic errors like subject-verb agreement and pronoun usage would help you achieve a higher score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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