Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-07

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 7.0)

It is appropriately said that "A friend in need is a friend indeed" .However, does that mean that a friend in need is the one that always have the same opinion as yours and will also support you in your wrong doings? In my opinion since friend is one relationship that we choose and not given to us like our family , we should be wise enough to have someone who can also disagree with us sometimes when we need correct directions.

A friend should also be our guide at times when we cannot decide the right path for us or when we are distracted from our goals. I have learnt this through my real life experience; Ajay has been my best friend from childhood and we have celebrated lots of joys and sorrows together growing up . I vividly remember an instance from our college days. I was distracted from studies and had started to get into smoking with other group of friends. My scores were suffering and I was not able to get back on track. During this time, Ajay did not agree with my smoking habit and asked me to quit smoking and focus on my studies. It was because of his right guidance, I was able to get back on track and focus back on my college.

Some people do believe that friends should agree and support them in every good or bad decisions they make in their life. In retrospect , if you see the definition of a friend , it is a person who stands by you through thick and thin and will always cater to bring the best out of you by wishing well in all aspects.

To conclude, I would say, it is very important for a friend to both agree and disagree sometimes to bring the best out of you and of course you should do the same for them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and supported by a personal anecdote about a friend named Ajay. However, the development of the opposing view (that friends should always agree) is somewhat brief and could have been expanded to provide a more balanced discussion. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that both sides of the argument are explored with equal depth and detail.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In my opinion', 'During this time', and 'In retrospect' are used to link sentences and ideas effectively. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions between sentences could be more sophisticated to enhance the overall coherence. The progression of ideas is clear, and the reader can easily follow the writer's line of reasoning throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task and conveys the intended meaning clearly. There is an attempt to use some less common phrases like 'thick and thin' and 'cater to bring the best out of you'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'cater to bring' and 'wrong doings' (which should be 'wrongdoing'). The range is sufficient to discuss the topic, but more precise and varied vocabulary would elevate the response to a higher band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and the meaning is never obscured by errors. However, there are some recurring grammatical slips, such as 'always have the same opinion as yours' (should be 'as yours' or 'as your own') and 'good or bad decisions' (should be 'good or bad decisions'). Punctuation is generally accurate, though there are occasional spacing issues around punctuation marks. The control of complex structures is evident, but more consistency in error-free sentences is needed for a higher score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.