Task 2 Sample: Some People Believe That Allowing Children to Make Their Own Choices

The IELTS Writing Task 2 prompt “some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices” trips up thousands of test-takers every year. Most students panic when they see this type of question because they don’t understand the structure.

This is not your typical agree/disagree essay. It’s a discuss both views and give your opinion task that requires a specific approach. Get it wrong, and you’ll lose points on Task Achievement before you even start writing.

Here’s exactly how to tackle this essay type and score the band you need.

A Strategic Guide to Understanding Essay Structure

Full requirement: Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters (such as food, clothes, entertainment) is likely to result in a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

This prompt gives you two opposing views about children making choices. Your job is simple: discuss both sides, then give your opinion. The Two Views:

• View A: Letting kids choose creates selfish people
• View B: Making choices helps children develop

Most students mess this up by only arguing for one side. Don’t do that.

View A: Choices Create Selfish Kids

Kids don’t have the brain development to make good choices. Give a 7-year-old unlimited food options and they’ll eat candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When children always get what they want, they don’t learn to consider others. They become adults who only think about themselves. This creates problems for society. We need people who can compromise and think about the community, not just their own desires.

View B: Choices Help Kids Grow

Making decisions teaches children critical thinking. When they choose their clothes, they learn about weather, appropriateness, and personal style. Choice-making builds confidence. Kids who participate in family decisions feel more capable and independent. These skills transfer to adulthood. Children who make choices become adults who can solve problems and take responsibility.

You have three options for your personal view:

1. Agree with View A completely
2. Agree with View B completely
3. Take a balanced position

The balanced approach often works best: “Children need choices, but with parental guidance.”

>>Refer to more IELTS writing task 2 samples:

• IELTS essay – some people think that parents should teach children
• IELTS Writing Task 2: in their advertising business nowadays
• Some People Believe That Professionals Such as Doctors and Engineers

Some People Believe That Allowing Children Sample Essays (Basic to Proficient)

Band 5.0 Sample Essay

Children making choices is important today. Some people think children who choose everything become selfish. Others think making choices is good. I think children should make some choices but not all.

Children who choose everything might be selfish. If children eat candy all day, they get sick. If they play games all the time, they don’t study. Parents know better because they are older.

But making choices can be good too. When children choose clothes, they learn colors. When they choose toys, they know what they like. This helps them grow up independent.

Both views are right. Children should choose some things with parental help. This way they learn but stay safe.

Why this gets band 5.0 for some people believe that allowing children:

• Task Achievement is weak. Ideas are basic and underdeveloped. Examples are too simple.
• Vocabulary is repetitive. “Children,” “choose,” and “good” appear too often.
• Grammar uses mostly simple sentences with some errors.

Band 6.5 Sample Essay

Whether children should have complete freedom over daily decisions has sparked debate. Some argue unlimited choice creates selfish individuals, while others believe decision-making is essential for development. This essay examines both perspectives before arguing that guided choice-making is most beneficial.

Critics raise valid concerns about unrestricted childhood autonomy. Children lack cognitive maturity for consistent good decisions. When given unlimited food choices, most children choose sugary snacks over nutritious meals, establishing poor eating habits. Unrestricted decision-making may also undermine parental authority and social norms.

Supporters argue that decision-making opportunities foster crucial benefits. Children who make age-appropriate choices develop critical thinking and self-confidence. A child selecting clothing learns to consider weather and social appropriateness. These skills translate into better decision-making abilities as they mature.

Both perspectives offer valuable insights. However, guided choice-making, where children have options within parent-established boundaries, combines autonomy benefits with necessary guidance, producing more balanced individuals.

Why this gets band 6.5 for some people believe that allowing children:

• Good task coverage with clear structure. Examples are relevant but could be more specific.
• Vocabulary shows good range with terms like “autonomy” and “cognitive maturity.”
• Grammar demonstrates complex structures with generally good control.

Band 8.0 Sample Essay

The debate surrounding childhood autonomy in decision-making presents a compelling paradox: unrestricted choice may foster development while potentially undermining social cohesion. Critics argue that premature independence cultivates narcissistic tendencies, whereas advocates contend that decision-making opportunities are fundamental to psychological growth. This analysis examines both perspectives before proposing that structured autonomy optimizes individual development while preserving societal values.

Opposition to unrestricted childhood autonomy rests on compelling developmental evidence. Neuroscientific research shows the prefrontal cortex doesn’t mature until the mid-twenties, suggesting children lack neurological capacity for consistently sound decisions. Consider childhood obesity in societies where children control dietary choices: immediate gratification consistently overrides long-term health considerations. When children prioritize personal preferences over community expectations, they fail to internalize delayed gratification and reciprocity—social contracts enabling complex societies to function.

Conversely, developmental psychology supports age-appropriate autonomy benefits. Children experiencing structured decision-making develop intrinsic motivation—the internal drive sustaining lifelong achievement. When children choose between parent-approved options, they exercise judgment and experience natural consequences without significant harm. Research indicates that guided autonomy produces superior problem-solving abilities and emotional regulation compared to restrictive or permissive environments.

While unrestricted autonomy may foster selfishness and structured opportunities clearly benefit development, optimal outcomes require calibrated freedom evolving with demonstrated competence. Rather than viewing this as binary restriction versus permissiveness, society benefits from graduated autonomy honoring both individual growth and collective responsibility.

Why this gets band 8.0 for some people believe that allowing children topic:

• Sophisticated analysis with nuanced arguments. Uses advanced vocabulary naturally.
• Complex sentence structures with varied grammar patterns.
• Strong coherence with smooth transitions between ideas.

High Band IELTS Writing Tips and Mistakes to Avoid

Small mistakes can destroy your band score faster than you think. Most students focus on big ideas but ignore the technical details that examiners actually notice. Master these four areas and watch your score jump immediately. Carefully consider these points to improve your some people believe that allowing children essay: 

• Use Personal Pronouns Confidently: “I believe” and “In my opinion” are required for this essay type, not forbidden. Use them once in your introduction and once in your conclusion to clearly signal your personal stance.

• Show Nuanced Thinking: Avoid extreme positions like “choices are completely good” or “totally bad.” Instead, present balanced views such as “choices benefit children when combined with parental guidance.” This sophisticated approach separates high-band students from average ones. Examiners consistently reward complexity over black-and-white thinking.

• Know Your Essay Types: “Discuss both views” means analyzing two specific opinions different groups hold. “Advantages/disadvantages” requires listing objective pros and cons.
• Three Deadly Mistakes Tank Your Band Score:
  • Word repetition: Stop writing “children” and “choices” fifteen times. Use “young people,” “adolescents,” “decision-making,” “autonomy” instead.
  • Informal language: Replace “kids” with “children,” “stuff” with “matters,” and “a bunch of” with “several.” Academic writing has standards.
  • Wrong collocations: Fix phrases like “make a development” (should be “promote development”) and “do choices” (should be “make choices”). These sound wrong because they ARE wrong.

From Strategy to Mastery: Consolidating Your Plan for a Top Score

You now have the complete framework for conquering “some people believe that allowing children” essays and any “discuss both views” prompt in writing task 2. The difference between struggling students and high scorers is systematic practice with the right approach. Master identifying the two opposing views quickly, drill the PEEL structure until it’s automatic, and build vocabulary around common themes. Most importantly, take balanced positions rather than extreme stances—examiners reward nuanced thinking over black-and-white arguments. With deliberate practice using this framework, your target band score isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable.