Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-21

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)

Whilst many people think that accepting difficult circumstances such as unsatisfactory workplace or lack of money, is the best, I believe people should put effort into improving that, particularly because that way, it will create more opportunities for personal and career growth.

On the one hand, accepting bad situations can be better for some people because their financial limitations, resource constrains and low stress handling capability restrict them to changes. For example, one might continue to work in the same position as he doesn't want to lose a stable income source. Similarly, others may not have the resources to learn new skills to improve their monetary condition. Moreover, many people do not contain the mental strength to cope with the stress that comes with changes. Many fresh graduates, for instance, are reluctant to apply to large corporations because they think of themselves as less competitive and don't want to deal with the stress, and so they give up even before trying. Hence, gradually they try to adjust to the circumstances even when they are not satisfied with it.

However, people should work hard and face challenges to improve unsatisfactory situations rather than adjusting to it as it will create more opportunities for a better future and personal development. Unless a person tries to change his negative condition, he would never find out the gray areas that are causing problem. By improving those areas, one can become more confident and mentally strong. For example, employees should invest in professional courses that are high paying and take the risk to apply in large companies. There might be initial delays but perseverance will definitely make them successful in the future career. Likewise, a person struggling with overspending can mindfully observe his daily spending pattern to reduce unnecessary purchase. This way he can be more financially stable.

In conclusion, although accepting adverse situation can be justified in terms of financial limitation and resource constrains for some people, I strongly believe, they should put more emphasis on improving the condition because it will open more doors of opportunities for personal and career development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both perspectives and providing a clear personal opinion. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, particularly in the second body paragraph where you explain the benefits of facing challenges. However, some arguments in the first paragraph, such as the mention of 'fresh graduates' being reluctant to apply to large corporations, could be more tightly linked to the concept of 'accepting a bad situation' to ensure the logic is fully persuasive. Overall, the response is well-structured and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Likewise' to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions between sentences could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. For instance, the link between the financial limitation argument and the mental strength argument in the first paragraph could be improved with more precise referencing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'financial limitations', 'resource constraints', and 'personal and career development' are used accurately. There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'do not contain the mental strength' (should be 'do not possess') and 'gray areas that are causing problem' (should be 'causing problems'). While you attempt some less common vocabulary, there is room for more idiomatic or sophisticated phrasing to elevate the response to a higher band. The vocabulary is adequate for the task and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures throughout the essay. There is good control over basic grammar, and your meaning is always clear. However, there are recurring errors that prevent a higher score, such as 'accepting difficult circumstances such as unsatisfactory workplace or lack of money, is the best' (missing articles and incorrect comma usage) and 'adverse situation' (should be plural 'situations'). Additionally, there are minor errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage throughout the text. Despite these, the errors do not impede communication, and you show a decent command of complex sentence forms.

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