Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-12

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 true that, taking risks both in people's professional lives and their personal lives plays a vital role. Despite some disadvantages, it can be outweighed by the advantages of taking risks.

It is a common scenario that, people often go through some delusional situations when they can barely make a decision for their professional and personal lives. Sometimes, these are also a reason for having exhausting and stressful time and these can easily lead to be demotivated in their lives. To surpass these issues and for the major prosperity in future, it has significant role in people's lives to take risks. For instance, in professional areas, people who are assigned to corporate jobs, they often feel fear to be vocal with their bosses or colleagues as they assume that this can affect their jobs they need. For this reason, sometimes even they get suffered by the office politics. Some job holders think that their salaries are low compared to what they deserve, in which case they should take the risk of quitting the job and find another one which is suitable for them. It is also important for people to take risks in their personal lives such as to choose a subject to study or to travel somewhere solely.

There are both advantages and disadvantages of taking risks. On the one hand, by taking risks people can easily motivate themselves. It can grow their confidence that they can make a decision. People can reach at the peak of their aim that they once speculated of. On the other hand, the disadvantages are for example, people often get into trouble by taking risks like when they visit a new place alone it could be a deleterious thing for their safety or in professional terms there could be issues for quitting or switching their job or start a business. But overall, people can improve their professional and personal skills, experience new things, prosper their knowledge by taking risks which overcome the disadvantages.

In conclusion, despite having some disadvantages, the advantages of taking risks outweigh the issues and it is important to take risks in professional and personal lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the two views regarding accepting a bad situation versus trying to improve it through taking risks. The student presents a clear position that taking risks is better and outlines several relevant arguments, such as career advancement, overcoming stress, and personal growth. However, the connection to the specific prompt regarding 'accepting a bad situation' is somewhat implicit rather than direct, as the essay focuses more broadly on 'taking risks' rather than comparing acceptance versus active improvement in unsatisfactory conditions. Ideas are supported with everyday examples, such as quitting a low-paying job or traveling alone, but some points lack deeper extension. Therefore, the response fulfills the basic requirements of the task with a developing position, corresponding to a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction and conclusion, and the body is divided into logical paragraphs separating advantages and disadvantages. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. However, referencing and transitional links are occasionally mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Sometimes, these are also a reason for having exhausting and stressful time and these can easily lead to be demotivated'. Paragraphing is generally appropriate, though internal cohesion within the second body paragraph could be smoother. Overall, the organizational structure is clear enough to follow easily, earning a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'delusional', 'prosperity', and 'deleterious'. However, there are notable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'delusional situations' instead of difficult situations, 'lead to be demotivated' instead of lead to demotivation, and 'prosper their knowledge' instead of broaden or enhance their knowledge. Spelling is generally accurate, but the lexical slips and awkward collocations place the writing firmly in the Band 6.0 category, where the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points despite recurring errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordinate clauses and conditional structures. However, grammatical errors are frequent throughout the text. Examples include 'taking risks both in people's professional lives and their personal lives plays' (subject-verb agreement), 'people who are assigned to corporate jobs, they often feel fear' (redundant pronoun), and 'assume that this can affect their jobs they need'. Punctuation is also occasionally problematic, with comma splices and unnecessary commas separating closely linked elements. Because errors occur consistently alongside correct simple structures, the grammar aligns with Band 5.5.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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