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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 2 Band 6.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

354 words AcademicTask 2
Task 2

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

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Ideas to explore

  • Discuss how not having childcare responsibilities may allow partners to focus on careers, study or travel.
  • Explain that couples may have more time and resources for their relationship and personal interests.
  • Consider possible social exclusion or concerns about later-life support, while noting that these outcomes are not inevitable.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce the trend and indicate that both advantages and disadvantages will be discussed.
  2. Use one body paragraph to explain benefits, supported by concrete examples such as further education or travel.
  3. Use a second body paragraph for social and later-life concerns, qualifying claims rather than treating them as certain.
  4. Conclude by summarising the trade-off and noting that the choice depends on individual priorities.
Useful vocabulary & examples
daily responsibilities
The regular duties that need to be done each day.

Without the daily responsibilities of raising children, couples may have more time for work and personal interests.

career ambitions
A person’s goals and plans for professional progress.

Some couples may choose a child-free life to give more time to their career ambitions.

social inclusion
Feeling accepted and involved in a social group or community.

Couples may seek shared activities to maintain social inclusion when many friends are parents.

family support network
Relatives who may offer practical help or companionship.

Some people worry that they may have a smaller family support network in later life.

Task Prompt

There is an increasing trend around the world of married couples deciding not to have children. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for couples who decide to do this.

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 6.0

Nowadays, more and more couples are choosing to not have a child. This trend brings about both positive and negative impacts. While remaining childless would give couples more time to develop their career and care for themselves, these couples would have no one to take care of them when they get older and they would might reconsider their decision later. However, it would be too absolute to assume that nobody can support a couple without children.

One advantage is greater flexibility in how a couple organises everyday life. Without the responsibility of raising children, partners may have more time for study, work, travel or interests they share. They can also make some decisions, such as relocating for a job, without considering a child's schooling and care arrangements. This flexibility may suit people whose priorities do not include parenthood.

Financial demands can differ as well. Raising children involves continuing expenses and may affect the time a parent can devote to paid work. A couple without those commitments can choose to direct resources towards other goals. However, remaining child-free does not guarantee financial security; income, health and other responsibilities still matter. The advantage is a different set of commitments, not the absence of every possible difficulty.

A possible disadvantage is missing an experience that some people find deeply meaningful. Partners may later reconsider their preference or feel uncomfortable when relatives repeatedly question it. Social life can also change when friends focus on family activities. These are possible consequences rather than inevitable outcomes, and people can maintain strong friendships and wider family relationships without having children.

Planning for later life is another consideration. Couples should think about support networks and practical care arrangements. Yet it would be unfair to assume that children always provide care or that people without them must be lonely. A reliable plan is important for either group.

In conclusion, choosing not to have children can offer time, flexibility and different financial priorities, while bringing possible regret or social pressure. The balance depends on the couple's values and circumstances, and the decision should not be judged through universal assumptions about happiness or old age.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Keep the response within the exact group and question specified by the task.
2
Develop each claim through a concrete example and qualify outcomes that are possible rather than inevitable.
3
Revise the quoted phrases, keeping the same personal view and a clear conclusion.

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