Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.0)

People have conflicting thoughts about dealing with bad situation and try to get out of it. A group of people think that it's better to accept a bad situation and cope with it such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others think that it's better to try and improve such situations. This essay will highlight both points of view and give a moderate answer.

Life is full of ups and downs. It doesn't remain the same throughout. Sometimes it's full of joy and happiness but sometimes its full of hurdles and hassles. A group of people think that its okay to just deal with the hurdles and accept it as it is but the others think that one should try to get out of the hurdles and try to find ease in life.

For instance, when I was in college, I used to deal with studies as well as job so it was hard for me but I completed my intermediate while balancing my job and studies. So, that was a hard time in life but it ended and now I am finally at peace. I dealt with the hardships and without flinching or giving up.

Everyone has hardships in life. We should try to overcome them instead of accepting them to achieve the ambitions and goals. We should never give up and never back down. If we have ambitions in life then we should be confident enough in ourselves to overcome the hardships waiting in our way.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You introduce the topic and state that you will discuss both views, and your final paragraph gives a clear preference for overcoming hardship. However, the two positions are not adequately discussed: the essay mostly repeats that people either accept difficulties or try to overcome them, without explaining why someone might choose acceptance or what benefits it could bring. Your personal example about balancing college and work supports perseverance, but it does not develop the opposing view, and the conclusion offers general encouragement rather than a balanced answer. The response is also 10 words below the 250-word minimum; 10 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. To improve, explain and support each view with a distinct reason or example, then state your own position clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, discussion, personal example and concluding paragraph. The example about studying while working gives the essay a relevant central point, and phrases such as “For instance” help signal support. However, the progression is limited: the second paragraph largely restates the introduction, and the essay does not clearly separate or develop the two views before moving to your own opinion. Repeated references to “hurdles” and “hardships” also make the links between ideas feel repetitive rather than progressive. Use separate paragraphs for the acceptance view, the improvement view and your position, and connect each with clear cause-and-effect or contrast links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic-related vocabulary, including “unsatisfactory job,” “shortage of money,” “ambitions,” and “overcome.” Expressions such as “ups and downs” and “hurdles and hassles” show an attempt to use more vivid language, and the overall meaning remains clear. However, some wording is repetitive or imprecise: “deal with” and “hardships” recur, while “give a moderate answer” does not clearly express your position. A few collocations are awkward, such as “find ease in life” and “hard time in life.” Aim for more precise, natural phrases and vary repeated vocabulary—for example, explain whether acceptance means adapting, making compromises or recognising limits.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple sentences and some longer structures, including the contrast in “Sometimes it’s full of joy and happiness but sometimes its full of hurdles and hassles” and the example beginning “when I was in college.” The main ideas are generally understandable, but control is uneven. There are errors in sentence boundaries and punctuation, such as the comma splice in “Life is full of ups and downs. It doesn't remain the same throughout” being followed by several loosely connected clauses, and “A group of people think … but the others think” is awkwardly structured. Articles and agreement also need attention in “dealing with bad situation” and “accept it.” Practise building accurate complex sentences with clear clause boundaries, and check articles, pronouns and punctuation.

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