Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-18

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)

An increasing number of people believe that to accept a bad phase like unsatisfied job or lack of money, while others believe that it is better to try and improve in such situation. I Agree, it is better to try and improve themselves in negative situations, as it helps them to get their fullest potential.

The one of the main point is that situations which are not in favour to people makes them feel like they aren't enough, but it actually the opposite, it encourage them to improve better. Failure enables people to identify their mistake they did and later by taking necessary action they could gradually evolve over a period. For example, a student who failed in exam may think he is a failure, but instead he can make sure where he went wrong and practice more on those chapters, this could improves his upcoming scores.

one the other hand, it could be best if people accept such scenarios, Because, some situations cannot be changed and putting efforts on those things cannot modify anything later. They can focus on things that they have control on, and use those time better for their future self, instead of stressing out. For example, a person who lost his dog cannot bring back it. Instead of worrying, he can concentrate on his studied or work by moving on. Therefore acceptance reduces frustration and unwanted stress.

In conclusion, Although accepting negative phases of life is important as it reduces unwanted stress, I believe focusing on improvement and trying to get better everyday pushes people to their fullest potential.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While the argument for improvement is supported by an example of a student, the counter-argument regarding acceptance is also supported by an example, but the analysis remains relatively superficial. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the implications of these choices rather than just stating them. The introduction is slightly disjointed, and the thesis statement could be more clearly linked to the prompt's requirement to discuss both sides. Overall, the task is addressed, but the depth of argumentation is consistent with a mid-range band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The one of the main point is', 'on the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, some of these are used inaccurately or mechanically (e.g., 'The one of the main point is' is grammatically incorrect). The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is abrupt. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is more precise.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choice, such as 'unsatisfied job' instead of 'unsatisfactory job' and 'improve better' which is redundant. The range of vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'bad', 'things', and 'situations'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated collocations and the presence of word-choice errors prevent a higher score. Focusing on more precise academic vocabulary would significantly improve your lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'The one of the main point is', 'it actually the opposite', 'it encourage them', and 'concentrate on his studied'. These errors, while not impeding communication, are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are issues with capitalization (e.g., 'one the other hand') and subject-verb agreement. To improve, you should focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and attempting more complex sentence structures with greater control.

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

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