IELTS Writing Task 2 – Band 8.0 Sample

Since generative AI became freely available, teachers have been struggling to decide whether tools such as chatbots belong in students' homework. In my view, they should be permitted, but only under clear conditions that keep the real thinking in the student's hands.

The strongest argument for allowing these tools is that they are already an integral part of modern working life. Banning them in school would leave young people ill-prepared for workplaces where drafting, summarising and checking are routinely assisted by software. Moreover, a ban is almost impossible to enforce, so it mainly penalises honest students while others use the tools secretly. For instance, a pupil who asks an AI to explain a difficult reading passage in simpler language is making legitimate use of the technology, much as earlier generations used a dictionary or a tutor. Used in this way, AI can act as a patient personal assistant for students who cannot afford private lessons.

That said, unrestricted use would undermine the very purpose of homework. Writing an essay is valuable precisely because it forces learners to organise their ideas and wrestle with difficult questions; if a machine produces the text, that cognitive effort disappears. Therefore, schools need rules that distinguish support from substitution. Students might be allowed to use AI for brainstorming or feedback, provided that they declare how they used it and submit earlier drafts. Teachers could also shift more assessment into the classroom, where essays are written by hand or under supervision.

In conclusion, I largely agree that AI writing tools should be allowed for homework, since prohibiting them is both unrealistic and short-sighted. However, their use must be transparent and limited, so that technology supports rather than replaces students' own learning.