How to read the question

• There are two tasks: an opinion (to what extent do you agree or disagree) and a direct question (what sort of punishment should be allowed). Both must be answered fully, or Task Response is limited.
• The opinion contains two linked claims: that learning right from wrong early is important, and that punishment is necessary for this. The second claim is the real point of debate, so your position should focus on it.
• Necessary is a strong word. A partial position, for example that some form of consequence is needed but that explanation and praise matter more, is perfectly acceptable if it is stated clearly.
• The second question names both parents and teachers, so mention what each should be allowed to do, not only parents.
• Should be allowed means you are setting limits: say which punishments are acceptable and which, such as physical or humiliating punishment, should not be permitted, and explain why.
• Avoid drifting into a general essay about crime, prisons or adult punishment; the question is about children and teaching good behaviour.

Suggested position

In my view, some form of discipline is indeed necessary to teach children right from wrong, provided that it is mild, consistent and never physical or humiliating.

Paragraph plan

1. 1

   Introduction

   Paraphrase both claims in the statement, then give a clear position: you agree that punishment is necessary, but only mild, consistent and non-violent forms.

2. 2

   Body paragraph 1: why early learning and some punishment are needed

   Explain that habits formed in early childhood tend to last, give an example such as a young child who learns that snatching toys has consequences, and argue that explanation and praise alone are not always enough because children test limits.

3. 3

   Body paragraph 2: what punishments should be allowed

   Answer the second question directly. Rule out smacking and public humiliation with reasons, then give acceptable options for parents (time out, loss of privileges such as screen time, repairing the harm) and for teachers (keeping pupils in at break, contacting parents, withdrawing a favourite activity).

4. 4

   Conclusion

   Restate your partial agreement and summarise the answer to the second question: only proportionate, non-violent punishments, always with an explanation.

Ideas and arguments

• Moral habits formed in early childhood tend to last into adolescence and adulthood, so it is easier to teach values early than to correct behaviour later.
• Young children often test boundaries deliberately; if bad behaviour has no consequences, they may conclude that rules are optional.
• Positive methods such as explanation, praise and setting a good example are the most effective way to teach values, so punishment should support them, not replace them.
• Physical punishment such as smacking has been linked to aggression and anxiety in children, and it teaches that problems can be solved by force; many countries have banned it.
• Humiliating punishments, such as shouting at a child in front of classmates, damage self-esteem without explaining what was wrong.
• Suitable punishments for parents include short periods of time out, losing privileges such as screen time, and repairing the harm, for example apologising or tidying up.
• Suitable punishments for teachers include keeping a pupil in at break time, contacting parents and temporarily withdrawing a favourite activity.
• Effective punishment should be proportionate, consistent and immediately linked to the misbehaviour, so that the child understands the connection.

Band 8+ model answer

292 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.

Why this answer scores highly

Task Response

The answer addresses both parts of the question: it gives a clear, qualified position on whether punishment is necessary and then names specific acceptable and unacceptable punishments for both parents and teachers, with reasons.

Coherence and Cohesion

Each body paragraph deals with one part of the question, introduced by a clear topic sentence, and ideas are linked with devices such as therefore, however, instead and for their part.

Lexical Resource

Topic-specific vocabulary such as moral boundaries, test limits, proportionate and withdraw privileges is used precisely, and the key word punishment is paraphrased with discipline, sanctions and consequences.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The essay uses conditional sentences, passive forms, relative clauses and modal verbs such as should and can accurately to express permission and recommendation.

Useful vocabulary

tell right from wrong

understand the difference between good and bad behaviour

moral boundaries

the limits that show what behaviour is acceptable

discipline

training people to obey rules, sometimes using punishment

sanction

a punishment for breaking a rule

corporal punishment

physical punishment, such as hitting a child

smacking

hitting a child with an open hand as a punishment

time out

a short period when a child must sit quietly away from an activity as a punishment

withdraw privileges

take away things a child enjoys, such as screen time

proportionate

suitable in size or seriousness for the offence

consistent

always applied in the same way

test the limits

behave badly on purpose to see what is allowed

self-esteem

a person's belief in their own value

positive reinforcement

rewarding good behaviour so that it happens again

make amends

do something to correct harm you have caused

Common mistakes

• Answering only the first question and giving no clear answer about which punishments parents and teachers should be allowed to use.
• Discussing only parents and forgetting that the second question also asks about teachers.
• Listing punishments without explaining why they are acceptable or why others, such as hitting, should not be allowed.
• Writing about whether children should learn right from wrong at all, which almost nobody disputes, instead of whether punishment is necessary.
• Using emotional, unsupported claims such as all punishment destroys children instead of balanced reasoning with examples.
• Repeating the word punishment throughout instead of paraphrasing with discipline, sanctions, consequences and correction.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cambridge book is this question from?

This question about punishment and teaching children right from wrong is Writing Task 2 of Test 1 in Cambridge IELTS 10 Academic, published in 2015.

Do I have to answer both questions in this task?

Yes. You must give your opinion on the statement and also say what punishments should be allowed; ignoring either part limits your Task Response score.

Can I say that physical punishment should be allowed?

You can argue any position, but you must support it with reasons. Most strong answers reject physical punishment because of its links to aggression and anxiety, and suggest non-violent alternatives instead.

How many words should I write for this Task 2?

Write at least 250 words; about 270-310 words is usually enough to answer both questions fully in 40 minutes.