Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06
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)
Some argue that we should neglect the harsh situations in jobs; however, others opine that it is better to solve the circumstances. This essay will discuss both perspective before presenting my opinion in this matter.
To begin with, some believe that it is better to bear all the hardships and continue working in an unfavourable environment. Seeking jobs is getting tougher day by day due to a rise in competition in the job markets. In this situation it is better to permanently stay at their workplace rather than to get retirement and to search for vacancies. Every job can give tough time to its worker, wherever he goes. Hence harsh situations are a part of job and everyone should have to face it.
On the other hand, some contend that it is better to leave the job rather than staying in the toxic environment and suffering from stress. Mental peace should be more important than job and if the working environment is not satisfying, this could deteriorate the person’s health and create negative impact on their performance. If a person gets a good opportunity, he should avail it as soon as possible.
In my opinion, I am in the favour of seeking best jobs that has perfect friendly environment and adjustable duty hours. It should be convenient and flexible for the workers so that they can become more productive.
In conclusion, some believe that it is better to ignore the harsh reality of job, while others argue that it is better to get rid of sufferings by leaving the job rather than staying there and suffering from stress. I believe with the latter viewpoint that it’s the human right to work in peaceful environment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument for accepting bad situations relies on the general claim that 'seeking jobs is getting tougher,' but lacks specific examples or deeper analysis. Similarly, the argument for leaving a job is supported by the importance of mental health, which is a strong point, but it could be further extended with real-world implications. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points, but the overall depth of the essay is more characteristic of a Band 6, as the ideas are relevant but remain somewhat superficial.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical, and the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition from the difficulty of finding jobs to the claim that 'harsh situations are a part of job' is a bit abrupt. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure could benefit from more sophisticated linking to improve the logical progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at less common collocations, such as 'deteriorate the person’s health' and 'toxic environment.' However, there are also instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'neglect the harsh situations' and 'get retirement.' The range of vocabulary is sufficient to discuss the topic, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. Improving the variety of synonyms and refining word choices would help elevate the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For instance, 'I am in the favour of seeking best jobs' should be 'I am in favour of seeking the best jobs,' and 'I believe with the latter viewpoint' is slightly awkward. There are also minor issues with articles and pluralization, such as 'create negative impact' instead of 'create a negative impact.' While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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