Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12
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)
Nowadays, it is sometimes become unpredictable the situation going around. Some people argue that we should accept our current situation as it is. In contrast, others think that we should try hard to make our situation better.
In my opinion, it is better to accept and try to make the situation better. In the essay, I am going to discuss both views and give my opinion in detail.
It is widely believed that if something bad happens, we should accept it. However, Sometimes the situation goes against our expectations, and an unpredictable things happen specially in a case of job satisfaction and financial condition. Therefore, we have to accept the what it is, because we don't have any other options. For example, when we are financially unstable, issues of job security occur, we have to stay there even at the low salary package because we don't have any other better option.
In contrast, some people argue that if you are doing your job with great dedication, you should not compromise on anything less than what you are expecting. Try hard differently to make your situation better and improve it.
In my point of view, whatever the situation is. We should not agree on any less. Job satisfaction, security, and financial stability should not be compromised
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you identify both sides of the argument, the discussion is superficial and lacks depth. For instance, the explanation of why one might accept a bad situation is limited to a single, brief example about job security. Furthermore, your own opinion is stated but not sufficiently supported or integrated into the argument. To improve, you must expand your points with more detailed reasoning and illustrative examples to ensure all parts of the prompt are fully addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'In contrast' and 'In my point of view' are used, but the transitions between sentences are often abrupt, making the flow feel disjointed. The logical progression of ideas is hindered by the lack of development, and the conclusion is very abrupt, failing to effectively summarise the main points or provide a final thought that ties the essay together.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band score. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'bad situation' and 'make our situation better'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'unpredictable the situation going around' and 'the what it is'. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to the topic of career and financial management.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'it is sometimes become unpredictable', 'an unpredictable things happen', and 'specially in a case of'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with sentence fragments like 'In my point of view, whatever the situation is.' To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that your sentences are complete and grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.