Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

When faced with great hardships, such as an unsatisfactory job or financial issues, some would argue that accepting your condition is the best route you could take. They believe that acceptance will lead to less overthinking, and therefore, a clearer mind and overall contentment. However, some would argue against this, stating that seeking improvement of such conditions would have palpable positive effects on your mental health, which is the view I personally resonate with the most as someone who has suffered with similar issues myself.

A good majority of people hold the view that acceptance of unsatisfactory conditions is the best thing you could do. They believe that not accepting your state of living will lead to resentment and dwelling on what could've been done to prevent these hardships. Acceptance will therefore lead to fewer troubling thoughts and perhaps contentment with the conditions you've been faced with. They argue that in todays difficult job market, it is important to be grateful about what you were able to achieve, even if you feel unsatisfied with the field you've been accepted into, or the salary doesn't quite meet your expectations.

On the other hand, there are those who disagree with this belief completely, and instead believe that seeking solutions to these hardships will have a greater positive effect. Working a job you don't quite enjoy for a long time will likely result in burnout, as you will not find the process enjoyable but rather burdensome. This may subsequently affect the quality of your work and lead to a reduction in your salary further worsening the quality of your life. It is then important to seek solutions to these issues that ought to have a great impact on your mental health. Finding a career that better suits you, even if it takes a long time, will leave you feeling satisfied and relieved. You are less likely to feel overwhelmed, no matter how big the workload is, because it is related to a field you have great interest in. Adding on to that, finding an additional source of income or perhaps a higher paying job will ease financial crisis. You'll feel a lot better and grounded.

In conclusion, though many people believe that accepting dissatisfactory conditions is the best thing to do as it leaves less room for troubling thoughts, I personally believe that seeking to improve such conditions is a superior route. This is because if improvements were made to the situation causing you great worry and panic, you are more likely to be left feeling relaxed and overjoyed with the quality of your life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the arguments regarding the psychological impact of job dissatisfaction and the practical benefits of seeking improvement. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific, concrete examples rather than relying on general statements, which would further strengthen the depth of the argument. Overall, the response is well-focused and fully meets the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two opposing views is handled effectively using phrases like 'On the other hand'. Cohesive devices are used appropriately, such as 'subsequently', 'this may', and 'adding on to that'. While the flow is generally smooth, some of the linking could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, ensuring the reader can follow the argument with ease.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and allows for some precision. The student uses a range of relevant terms such as 'hardships', 'palpable', 'resentment', and 'burdensome'. There is an attempt to use less common items, which is generally successful. However, there are occasional minor inaccuracies in collocation or word choice, such as 'grounded' in the context of financial relief, which is slightly imprecise. The range is adequate for the task, and the meaning is always clear, but a more varied and sophisticated lexical repertoire would be required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a good control of grammar, using a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is generally accurate. There are occasional minor slips, such as the missing apostrophe in 'todays' and the slightly awkward phrasing in 'as you will not find the process enjoyable but rather burdensome'. These errors are non-systematic and do not impede communication. The use of complex structures, such as conditional sentences and relative clauses, is consistent and shows a good level of grammatical competence.

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