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)
For the time being it is okay to accept such a bad situation when you don't have any other choice, but you shouldn't accept it and keep trying to take yourself out from such difficult situation.
Sometimes we don't have any other option other than to accept the situation we are currently in. So we should be easy on ourselves during such difficult times. Be hopeful that this is just a temporary phase and you'll be out of this soon but always stay honest with your work. It doesn't matter if your current job is unsatisfactory, you should be grateful that you have one. This gratitude would make it easier for you to continue doing your work.
While you accept your current situation, never stop striving for improvement. You should always keep striving for improvement or better situation no matter how bad or good the situation is as it can always get better and better. If you won't try to improve your current situation you would always be stuck with the bad one. Life only gives us what we actually strive for. Learn the good things from your current job and they will serve you later and help you find the good job with a better salary package.
So always be grateful for the things that life has given you, and do your work with dedication and honesty but never accustomed to things you feel bad about. You can always improve your situation through resilience and hard work as long as you never stop.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 you discuss the importance of gratitude and the necessity of striving for improvement, the arguments lack specific examples or deeper analysis. The essay tends to repeat the same points rather than extending them into a more sophisticated discussion. To reach a higher band, you should provide concrete examples—such as discussing the long-term psychological impact of staying in a dead-end job versus the risks of leaving one—to better support your arguments and fully develop your position.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the transition between paragraphs could be smoother, and the use of linking words is limited. You rely heavily on simple connectors like 'so' and 'but'. To improve, try using a wider variety of cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast', or 'nevertheless' to better connect your ideas and improve the flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You frequently use basic terms like 'bad situation', 'good', and 'work'. While these words communicate your meaning clearly, they do not demonstrate the range required for a higher band. There is a lack of less common lexical items or idiomatic expressions. To improve, focus on using more precise synonyms and collocations, such as 'challenging circumstances', 'professional development', or 'career advancement', to make your writing more sophisticated and engaging.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For instance, 'take yourself out from such difficult situation' should be 'extract yourself from such a difficult situation', and 'find the good job' should be 'find a better job'. Additionally, there are issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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