Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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 has been argued by a lot of individuals that it is the finest to adapt a poor condition, such as a unfulfilling job or lack of money, while others believe that trying for better and improved circumstances is a much better alternative. I support the latter view; however, both perspectives will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

Supporters of the first school of thoughts claim that many individuals may have limited resources such as lesser skills and access to good educational institutes, which can restrict the individuals to settle for a unsatisfactory job or situation. In addition to that, due to increase family responsibilities, people tend to prefer a stable source of income and restrict themselves to potential risks involved with resigning from a particular job and searching for another one. As a result, many individuals accept a bad situation.

While critics of aforementioned view, including me argue that it is better to take risks for the better future. While a satisfactory and reliable job can reduce financial stress, it can open new doors of opportunities. It can lead to increase in productivity of the individual and results in better personal growth. For instance, many multi-national companies provide incentives to hardworking employees. Moreover, financial benefits can reduce stress and promotes the overall well-being of the individual.

In conclusion, while due to restricted freedom of resources and financial risks associated with searching for new job, it is better to accept certain thing

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and presents a clear personal position. However, the essay is incomplete; the conclusion is cut off mid-sentence, which negatively impacts the development of the final point. Furthermore, the response falls short of the 250-word minimum requirement. While the ideas presented in the body paragraphs are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are fully addressed and that the essay reaches the required length to allow for a complete, well-reasoned conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition to that,' 'As a result,' and 'Moreover.' However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and the abrupt ending of the essay significantly disrupts the flow and coherence of the final paragraph. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your conclusion provides a cohesive summary of the arguments presented rather than ending prematurely.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are some awkward collocations and minor errors, such as 'school of thoughts' (should be 'school of thought') and 'adapt a poor condition' (should be 'accept a poor situation'). You rely on fairly common vocabulary. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and topic-specific collocations, such as 'financial instability' or 'professional development,' to demonstrate a more flexible and precise command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'it is the finest to adapt' (should be 'it is best to accept'), 'increase family responsibilities' (should be 'increased'), and 'critics of aforementioned view' (should be 'critics of the aforementioned view'). While these errors do not typically impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that complex sentence structures are grammatically sound.

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

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