Should homework be abolished
This is a sample answer written to show what a Band 6.5 response looks like, and where it falls short of Band 7. It is a worked example, not a graded submission. To see your own band, paste your writing into the free checker.
The prompt
Some people believe that schools should stop giving homework to children because it causes stress and takes away free time. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Band 6.5 sample answer (256 words)
Nowadays, homework is a big problem for many students around the world. Some people think schools should stop giving homework because it makes children stressed and they do not have free time. I disagree with this idea, because homework has many benefits for students, although too much homework is not good.
Firstly, homework helps students to remember what they learned in class. When students do exercises at home, they can practise the lesson again and understand it better. If they only listen in class and never practise, they will forget the information quickly. Also, homework helps teachers to know which students understand the lesson and which students need more help.
Secondly, homework teaches children important skills like managing time and working alone. In the future, they will need these skills at university and in their jobs. A student who never does homework may find it difficult to study by himself later. Also, parents can see what their children are studying when they help with homework.
On the other hand, it is true that too much homework causes stress for children. Some students spend many hours on homework every day and they do not have time for playing or hobbies. This is not healthy for them. So I think schools should give a small amount of homework, not too much homework.
In conclusion, I disagree that homework should be abolished, because it helps students to practise and learn important skills. However, schools should be careful about the amount, so children still have free time for other activities.
Why this reaches Band 6.5
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Task Response
The opinion is clear and stays consistent, which is solid, but the ideas are listed rather than developed: points like "parents can see what their children are studying" appear and are dropped in a single sentence, so no reason is fully explored. That lack of extension is what caps this below Band 7.
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Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing is logical, but the linking is mechanical and repetitive: "Firstly", "Secondly", and "Also" appears three times. Band 7 needs cohesion that comes from the ideas, not from a fixed set of openers.
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Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is safe and repetitive: "homework" and "students" recur constantly, and evaluations rarely go beyond "good", "not good" and "important". There is little of the less common language ("a small amount of homework" is the most precise phrase here) that Band 7 requires.
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Sentences are mostly accurate but simple, often following the same "homework helps students to..." pattern. Slips such as "for playing" instead of "for play" or "to play" do not block meaning, but the narrow range holds the score down more than the errors do.
The one fix to reach Band 7
The fastest route from this 6.5 to a 7 is development: cut the number of ideas in half and extend each survivor with an example or consequence. One fully explored reason, such as how homework builds independent study habits, is worth more than four one-sentence points.
Now check your own answer.
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