Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-25
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 5.5)
People believe to accept the situation either it is bad or good such as unsatisfactory of job or shortage of money. while others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations.
Firstly, If there is anything going on in your family or in your life like shortage of money or unsatisfactory job. First we need to accept the fate and start living on with that but we need to search or need to found a way how to improve our situations.
For example in my life, we have a situation where we are shortage of money when I am in my university. My parents handled the situation very well. As I mentioned we accepted it and we planned the financials accordingly although we struggled but we did hard work too get on from that situation. Wherever possible we restricted our expenses grit on teeth but we lived like that for few years. After me and my brother started working our lives became better and improved gradually. We learned it from our parents itself. How to manage in our odd times.
We need to accept, fight and improve. Not like accept the bad situation and go on with it with your life time. We should struggle to improve it is in our hands either to go in that bad situation or to improve the situations. How you plan ,think and work which makes you see the differences. In my opinion, yes we need to argue that it is better to try and improve such situations.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide a personal example regarding financial hardship, the discussion of the 'accepting' viewpoint is underdeveloped and lacks depth. The essay tends to repeat the idea of 'improving' rather than exploring the nuances of why some might choose to accept a bad situation. To reach a higher band, ensure that both perspectives are explored with equal weight and that your arguments are supported by more generalized, logical reasoning alongside personal anecdotes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is often interrupted by awkward phrasing and abrupt transitions. For example, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is disjointed. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often mechanical or misused, such as starting sentences with 'Firstly, If...' or 'How you plan, think and work which makes you see the differences.' The progression of ideas is sometimes difficult to follow because the sentences do not always connect logically to the previous point.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which limits the expression of complex ideas. You rely on simple phrases like 'bad situation' and 'improve the situation' multiple times. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'shortage of money when I am in my university' (should be 'during my time at university') and 'grit on teeth' (the idiom is 'grit one's teeth'). To improve, focus on using a wider range of vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'adversity,' 'financial constraints,' or 'proactive measures.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with sentence structure, such as sentence fragments ('First we need to accept the fate and start living on with that but we need to search or need to found a way how to improve our situations.') and subject-verb agreement errors. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with many sentences lacking proper structure. While you attempt some complex sentences, they are often faulty. Focusing on basic sentence construction and ensuring each sentence has a clear subject and verb will help improve your accuracy.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.