Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-14
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)
WHEN THE TOPIC OF ACCEPT OR NOT ACCEPT THE BAD SITUATION DISCUSSED THERE ARE DIVIDED VIEWPOINTS. SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEST TO ACCEPT A BAD SITUATION ON THE OTHER HAND SOME PEOPLE ARGUE THAT IT IS BETTER TO TRY AND GET OUT FROM SUCH SITUATION. PRIOR TO MY DECISION, BOTH SIDES WILL BE DISCUSSED.
ANALYZING THE FIRST VIEW SOME BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD ACCEPT A BAD SITUATION LIKE IN FINANCE LIKE SHORTAGE OF MONEY OR UNSATISFACTORY JOB. FOR INSTANCE, MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE PASSION OF TRAVELIING BUT THEY HAVE NO ENOUGH MONEY OR NOT HAVE GOOD INCOME SO THEY ACCEPT THE SITUATION. AND FOR COUPLES IN THEIR LIFE SOMTHING NOT GOING WELL AND THEY SUFFER FROM ANXIETY OR ETC IN THAT CASE THEY HAVE ACCEPT THE THING. ALSO SOME TIME THING NOT GOING THAT WAY YOU THOUGHT YOU JUST ACCEPT THE THING AND PASS THAT BAD TIME.
HOWEVER, OTHER BUNCH OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO TRY AND IMPROVE SITUATION. FOR INSTANCE FURTHERMORE, FOR STUDENTS SPECIALLY LAST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS THEY HAVE SO MUCH STESS FOR FUTURE JOB ALSO CURRENT STUDY MORE MERGE SO THEY CAN STUDY MORE FOR BETTER RESULT AND DOING PART TIME JOB FOR MONEY PROBLEM. IN ADDITION SOME CORPORATE WORKERS STRESSED FROM WORKLOAD SO THEY CAN TAKE LEAVE AND GO FOR VACATION OR IN PUBLIC HOLIDAYS GO FOR VACTION WITH FAMILY AND SPEND MORE TIME SO THEY FEEL HAPPY AND GOOD.
TO SUM UP AND GIVE MY OWN OPINION. I STRONGLY SUPPORT SECOND VIEW BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE THING COME FASTLY AND YOU HAVE NO TIME TO TACKLE THAT SITUATION BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION TO COMEOUT FROM SUCH SITUATION.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. However, the development of ideas is limited. For example, the arguments regarding financial hardship and relationship issues are somewhat superficial and lack specific, well-explained examples. The points about students and corporate workers are relevant but are presented in a fragmented way, making it difficult for the reader to follow the logic. To improve, you should focus on extending your arguments with more detailed explanations and concrete, real-world examples rather than listing general scenarios.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For instance, the transition 'For instance furthermore' is redundant and confusing. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'in that case they have accept the thing', where 'the thing' is vague. The progression of ideas is occasionally disjointed, particularly within the second and third paragraphs. Using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'nevertheless') more naturally would help improve the flow between sentences and paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. You frequently use basic terms like 'thing', 'bad', and 'good', which restricts your ability to express complex ideas precisely. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'come fastly' (should be 'happen quickly') and 'not have good income'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of range and the reliance on simple, informal language prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Incorporating more academic vocabulary and precise collocations would significantly enhance your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'they have accept'), missing articles (e.g., 'shortage of money'), and incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'they have no enough money'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences lacking necessary commas or containing run-on structures. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like verb tense and article usage will lead to improvement.
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.