Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03
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 5.0)
it goes without saying that, in recent decades, many individuals are suffering from unsatisfactory job or lack of money. However some believe that it is good to accept a bad situation. Therefore, others believe that it is better to try again and improve such situation. I would like to discuss both views and give my own opinion in upcoming paragraph.
To begin, the first school of thought that a person should accept a bad situation, such as unsatisfactory or lack of money. According to them,
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under-length at only 85 words, failing to meet the minimum requirement of 250 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. The introduction attempts to outline the two views, but the essay stops abruptly after beginning the first body paragraph. Because the response is incomplete, it is impossible to develop the ideas or present a clear, consistent position throughout the essay. To improve, you must ensure you provide a full introduction, two well-developed body paragraphs with supporting examples, and a clear conclusion. The current lack of development means the response cannot be assessed beyond a minimal level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response shows a basic attempt at paragraphing and uses some cohesive devices such as 'However' and 'Therefore'. However, because the text is incomplete, there is no overall progression of ideas. The transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is mechanical, and the abrupt ending prevents any logical flow. To achieve a higher band, you need to ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are linked smoothly using a variety of cohesive devices, such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in contrast', to guide the reader through your argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'unsatisfactory job' and 'lack of money' are used, but there is little evidence of a range of vocabulary suitable for an academic essay. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'the first school of thought that a person should accept', which is grammatically incomplete. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and synonyms to avoid repetition. Expanding your range of vocabulary will allow you to express complex ideas more effectively and demonstrate a higher level of language control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors. For example, 'many individuals are suffering from unsatisfactory job' is missing an article ('an'), and 'others believe that it is better to try again and improve such situation' is also missing an article ('a'). The sentence 'To begin, the first school of thought that a person should accept a bad situation...' is a sentence fragment as it lacks a main verb. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors and the lack of complex sentence structures limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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