Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05
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)
Many individual think that accept a worst situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money is best, while other argue that it is better to try hard and progress such events. In my opinion, it is better to try hard enough to improve the shortage of money or bad job because for better life-style in the future and personal growth.
The primary factor is a better lifestyle in the future instead of having a bad situation in our daily life like; shortage of money. If people try hard enough and look for better progress in their unsatisfied work, then it will be beneficial for them. In some cases, people accepted the a bad situation because the lack of skills and knowledge but if they focus hard and improve in their weakness then it will be profitable for them. For example, all individual want long term success in their life, if they full-stop at their bad situation then they never ever get success, but if they struggle more to improve, they will get long term success and that change their life-style.
Another factor is personal growth. It will improve people's personal growth like; skills, sense of abilities, and knowledge too. How much they try more that much they improve personally. They can develop they hidden talent too, if they focus more and try more. For instance, due to the lack of skills they have to accept shortage of money, but if they work hard then inside themselves they improve growth and they can get a better job with excellent income.
In conclusion, I think that people have to try and improve such bad situations rather than accepting, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the argument regarding 'personal growth' is quite vague, relying on general statements like 'how much they try more that much they improve' rather than providing concrete, well-explained examples. While the position is consistent, the supporting arguments could be more sophisticated to reach a higher band. The response covers all parts of the prompt, but the explanation of why some people choose to accept bad situations is underdeveloped compared to the argument for change.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the repetitive use of 'like;' to introduce examples, which is grammatically incorrect. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between sentences can feel disjointed. While there is an overall logical arrangement, the lack of variety in linking words and the occasional misuse of punctuation (e.g., semicolons) limit the flow of the text, preventing it from reaching a higher level of cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There is significant repetition of basic phrases such as 'bad situation', 'try hard', and 'shortage of money'. The student attempts to use some academic vocabulary, but word choice is often imprecise, such as 'progress such events' or 'full-stop at their bad situation'. These errors occasionally impede the natural flow of the writing. To improve, the student should focus on using more varied synonyms and collocations appropriate for an academic context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('Many individual think'), incorrect word forms ('unsatisfied work' instead of 'unsatisfactory'), and awkward phrasing ('if they full-stop at their bad situation'). Punctuation is also problematic, particularly the misuse of semicolons. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the response from achieving a higher score. More attention to proofreading for basic errors is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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