Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-19

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 6.5)

A few people prefer to be friends with those who mostly have similar views as them, while others maintain that it is better to have peers who have different viewpoints. I believe having similar thinking leads to a longer friendship and avoid misunderstandings in the relationships.

On the one hand, friends with similar thinking can beckon each other in vulnerable situations. To elaborate, if fiends have likewise opinions, they participate in similar activities and social events, and also support each other in any life crisis. This not only provides emotional comfort and reduces daily stress, but also provides a powerful sense of validation. Furthermore, when the core views align, we share a mutual understanding that makes communication smooth, empathetic, and deeply supportive. For instance, business partners who share similar opinions have fewer arguments and easy agreement on how to run a business successfully with a smooth cooperation.

On the other hand, being friends with ones who have opposite viewpoints can sometimes result in formidable situations. Since such individuals might not agree on some critical aspects of lives, it could result in misunderstandings and bitterness in their relationships. Whereas, in few instances, it could also assist to understand opposite viewpoint from their explanations; however, I still maintain that it is a rare occurrence and not so helpful in day-to-day matters.

To sum up, although associates with opposite viewpoints might be useful in some instances, on day-to-day basis having friends and partners with likewise thinking avoid conflicts and bring more peace to life, which makes relationships last lifetimes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. The position is consistent throughout the essay. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the argument regarding the benefits of differing opinions is underdeveloped and dismissed rather quickly as a 'rare occurrence.' To reach a higher band, you should provide more balanced, detailed support for both sides of the argument before concluding. The ideas are relevant, but the depth of analysis could be improved to fully explore the complexities of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Furthermore,' and 'To sum up' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the use of 'similar thinking' and 'opposite viewpoints' throughout. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different perspectives. The progression of ideas is generally clear, though the link between the second body paragraph and the conclusion could be smoother to better reflect the complexity of the discussion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'vulnerable situations,' 'validation,' and 'formidable.' However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For instance, 'beckon each other' is used incorrectly in this context, and 'likewise opinions' is not a natural collocation; 'similar opinions' or 'aligned views' would be more appropriate. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are recurring grammatical errors. For example, 'avoid misunderstandings' should be 'avoids misunderstandings' to agree with the subject, and 'if fiends have likewise opinions' contains a spelling error ('fiends' instead of 'friends') and an awkward structure. Additionally, 'on day-to-day basis' is missing an article ('on a day-to-day basis'). Despite these errors, the meaning is generally easy to follow, and the mistakes do not significantly impede communication.

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

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