Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-07

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)

It is often argued that it is great to accept a difficult condition like an unsatisfied work or decrease of money, while others believe that it is good to try again and enhance such conditions. In my opinion, people should try again and focus to improve those mistakes they have done it in previous situation. The essay below will discuss both the views and give an opinion on improving things in support of my answer.

To begin with, those who claimed that we have to accept the bad situation in a best way thinks that people should not have to worry about the situation of our jobs or not having enough finance. For instance, who believe their real condition can become positive and confident in their professional life. As a result, this purpose can lead them into successful state where they were not worried and panic whatever the problem was.

On the other hand, people who believe that it is best to try and recover from difficult substances thinks that from their mistakes they can learn from them and pay far more attention on such things. To illustrates this, those people who fail and repent in their work are far more better than others they think differently, positively and seen things from various views. From my perspective, people who try again and focus on their mistakes can lead them into a great success. Therefore, they can become better person in their professional and personal life.

In conclusion, both views have different approach. Some people will accept their situation and move on while others claimed that trying again and paying attention on their mistakes can be the better option. Personally, I believe that trying again can be the great opportunity for our success.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument for accepting a bad situation is vague, using phrases like 'not having enough finance' without explaining the underlying rationale or benefits. The second body paragraph attempts to explain the benefits of trying to improve a situation, but the reasoning is repetitive and lacks concrete, well-developed examples. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific, logical explanations for why someone might choose to accept a situation, rather than just stating that they do.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the internal cohesion within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the transition 'For instance, who believe their real condition...'. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, making it difficult to follow the flow of logic. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choices or incorrect collocations, such as 'difficult substances' (likely meaning 'circumstances'), 'unsatisfied work' (should be 'unsatisfactory job'), and 'decrease of money' (should be 'financial hardship'). While you attempt to use some academic vocabulary, these inaccuracies occasionally hinder the clarity of your message. To improve, focus on learning common collocations and using more precise terminology to express your ideas clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('those who claimed... thinks'), incorrect verb forms ('they have done it in previous situation'), and awkward phrasing ('those people who fail and repent in their work are far more better than others'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of comparative adjectives.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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