Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-24
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 is widely believed by a bunch of masses that it is best to embrace the inferior situation such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money while others claim that it is better to try and improve such situations this essay intends to discuss both views in the upcoming paragraphs , followed by my opinion
To commence with the former view , that is mainly because sometimes individuals do not have any other option . To elaborate , when people have no alternatives for obtaining other occupation therefore at the moment they need to accept the circumstances. Consequently, in future they will get better job according to their choice .
Proponents of latter view proclaim that they ought to try and improve such situations as by improving they will get preferable lifestyles. As a result , they will not in under poverty line which is beneficial for them in the future. Moreover , Not only it reduces the stress but it also puts a positive impact on individuals life to get better outcomes .
According to my perspective , improving inferior situations have more advantages for folks since they will get better outcomes .
To conclude , even though embracing unfavorable conditions improves people ability to face challenges in their life , by enhancing situation they can improve their quality of life
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, but the development is insufficient. The essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of the arguments. The ideas presented, such as 'accepting circumstances' or 'improving situations', are mentioned but not fully extended with concrete examples or logical depth. The position is clear, but the lack of word count and limited elaboration on the arguments prevent a higher score. To improve, you must expand on your reasoning with specific, real-world examples and ensure you meet the minimum length requirement to allow for full task development.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices like 'To commence with', 'Consequently', and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, the progression is sometimes mechanical, and the paragraphing is underdeveloped. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is functional, but the overall structure feels rushed due to the brevity of the response. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of sophisticated linking words or varied cohesive structures limits the flow. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking phrases and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence followed by well-connected supporting points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. Phrases like 'a bunch of masses' are informal and inappropriate for an academic essay. Other choices, such as 'inferior situation' or 'preferable lifestyles', are understandable but somewhat repetitive. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic collocations. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to use more academic vocabulary (e.g., 'socio-economic challenges' instead of 'shortage of money') and ensure your word choices are consistently formal and precise throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'Not only it reduces the stress but it also puts a positive impact on individuals life' (incorrect word order and missing possessive apostrophe) and 'improving inferior situations have more advantages' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the overall clarity. You should focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring correct sentence structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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