Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-15

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)

This query of accepting a bad situation and just keep going as it was before or trying hard to upgrade the current thing comes from a person's mindset. Some people believe know to fight and win others just don't want themselves to be in a hassle. However I believe that a person should work till the very last bits of strength to achieve something he wants.

Some people work in their lives to earn money and buy what they want or to fullfill their dreams but when thay overcome problems and hurdles in the way of achieving it they say to themselves that I am not gonna die if I don't get it, and they just leave their dream and forget about it eventually just because of the struggle and the hardwork.

On the other hand some people have a completely opposite mindset. They know that if they want something they need to work extra hard if they are short of money or if they are unsatisfied with their job they will work hard and will put all their effort to secure the job of their liking. They know that nothing comes free and they work hard and achieve their dream.

I am also a strong believer of hardwork because I somehow my parents fed this thing in my mind since childhood that, if you want something put all your efforts to achieve but do not believe that you will definitely get you just work hard then wait for the results. Do not be sad even if the results are not as you expected them to be. You just do the hardwork and believe in it. For example when I was ten years old and I had participated in an art competition and really wanted to win so I just did practice day and night and eventually I won just by a minor point.

In conclusion I would say that even you should defintely work hard if you really want something in your life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the discussion on why people accept bad situations is limited to a brief mention of 'hassle' and 'struggle,' lacking depth or specific examples. The personal example provided in the fourth paragraph is relevant but slightly anecdotal and could have been better integrated into the broader argument. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on the implications of these mindsets rather than just describing them, ensuring a more balanced and analytical exploration of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic and sometimes repetitive. Phrases like 'Some people' and 'They know' are used frequently to start sentences, which makes the flow feel a bit mechanical. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs. While the overall structure is clear, the transition between the general discussion and your personal experience could be smoother to improve the logical flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on simple, repetitive language such as 'work hard,' 'bad situation,' and 'achieve.' There are also some minor errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'upgrade the current thing' and 'fed this thing in my mind.' To improve, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to career development, resilience, and personal ambition, and work on using collocations more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder the flow. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in way of achieving'), subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'some people have... they will work'), and punctuation mistakes, such as missing commas after introductory phrases. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from being considered highly accurate. Focusing on sentence variety and proofreading for basic grammatical slips would significantly improve your score.

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

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