Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-22
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)
The agreements and disagreements are the part of friendship as all the people cannot have the same point of view. Some believe it is better to have friends with same opinions where as others argue the opposite. I assume opinions do not matter in a relation as long as friends understand and respect each other.
On the one hand, this makes life easier because people with same opinions do not have to think deeply when making daily choices. For instance, buddies who think same can enjoy same food, travel together and work together as well without thinking too much. Eventually, absence of clashes vanishes, thus building an easy friendship. Moreover, having pals with same mindset makes the bond stronger because there are no disagreements and conflicts. Thus, those can help validate someone's decisions. As a result, this type of relation works well for those who want simplicity in their life.
On the other hand, numerous benefits come with friends who think contrary to one another. Initially, they can easily criticize their friend's decisions, highlighting the weak points and areas demanding more attention. As a result, decisions are extremely well thought and organized and chances of success increase . In addition, it creates a lot of motivation among people. The ones with extraordinary qualities, influence their mates to become like them and achieve those hobbies which they do no have. Consequently, it improves the personalities by creating valuable habits.
In conclusion, while having friends with identical thoughts makes the life simple, calm and less stressed, it holds a lot of benefits to have friends with different views such as critically thought life choices. The thing is to have mutual understanding instead of matching thoughts. Friends should always be cooperative and decent, according to my point of view.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both perspectives and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. For instance, the discussion on how friends with different opinions can provide constructive criticism is a strong point. However, some arguments, such as the claim that friends with the same opinions 'do not have to think deeply,' are slightly over-generalized. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the two views while maintaining the author's stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that all arguments are supported with more nuanced reasoning rather than broad generalizations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' 'Moreover,' and 'Consequently' are used effectively to link ideas. However, there is some minor mechanical use of these devices, and the referencing is occasionally slightly repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the argument. The flow is generally smooth, though it could benefit from more varied transitional phrases to improve the sophistication of the links.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use less common items like 'contrary to one another' and 'mutual understanding.' However, there are some inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'absence of clashes vanishes' (which is redundant) and 'achieve those hobbies' (hobbies are usually 'pursued' or 'taken up'). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. Improving the variety of collocations and avoiding slightly awkward phrasing would enhance the lexical quality.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, which is positive. However, there are persistent errors in grammar and punctuation, such as missing articles ('the part of friendship', 'the life simple') and minor subject-verb agreement issues. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The use of complex structures is present but not always perfectly controlled. Focusing on article usage and refining the accuracy of complex sentence construction would significantly improve the grammatical profile of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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