Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-17

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 6.0)

It is often discussed that what should be the appropriate approach towards a difficult scenario. For some people, accepting the bad conditions as it is, is better; however, others believe that we should make efforts to cope with problematic situations. In my opinion, humans should always try to make improvements in their lives. In this essay, I will discuss both views and give reasons in favor of my opinion.

There are some individuals who feel that the pragmatic solution to tackle a poor scenario is to accept it rather than trying to improve it. For such people, it is a mechanism to develop tolerance so that they can prepare themselves for worse situations. One of the best example is that some individuals continue to work for a company which pays them low instead of looking for better paying jobs because they believe that less paying work is better than having no money. Ultimately, these people end up making little or no progress in their lives.

Proponents of the other theory claim that people should deal with the difficulties with a positive mindset, and work to make improvements. It is important because this approach can enhance the creativity and the probability of better future. For instance, if a person keeps looking for better job opportunity to switch from a low paying to high salary job, it is highly likely that he will find that with consistence efforts. People with this thinking are expected to succeed in every aspect of life.

Although acceptance and tolerance is a common coping mechanism for some people, making efforts for the betterment is a better choice for the others. From my perspective, people who have problem solving approach are much better, and are often more successful in life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—accepting a bad situation versus trying to improve it—and clearly states the writer's own opinion in the introduction and conclusion. Ideas are relevant and extended, such as the example of staying in a low-paying job versus actively searching for better career opportunities. However, the development of the first body paragraph slightly contradicts the prompt's premise by concluding that accepting a bad situation leads to making little or no progress, rather than thoroughly exploring why some people genuinely view acceptance as a valid long-term strategy for inner peace or stability. Nevertheless, a clear position is maintained throughout, fitting the Band 7 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently structured, starting with an introductory paragraph, followed by two distinct body paragraphs examining each viewpoint, and a concluding paragraph summarizing the writer's stance. Paragraphing is used appropriately. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, such as 'For some people', 'Ultimately', and 'Proponents of the other theory'. However, referencing and transitional links occasionally feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the opening structure of body paragraphs, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Overall, the flow remains logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items are attempted, including 'pragmatic solution', 'tolerance', 'coping mechanism', and 'proponents'. There are, however, some minor word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'One of the best example' (should be 'examples') and 'consistence efforts' (should be 'consistent efforts'). Despite these occasional slips, the vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with reasonable precision and flexibility, aligning well with the Band 6.5 to 7.0 profile.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional-like clauses and subordinate clauses such as 'Although acceptance and tolerance is a common coping mechanism...' and 'if a person keeps looking...'. There are a few noticeable grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('tolerance is' vs plural references) and minor preposition or article slips, including 'better job opportunity' instead of 'opportunities' or 'a better job opportunity'. However, these errors do not impede communication, and the majority of sentences are constructed accurately, supporting a solid Band 6.5 performance.

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