Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-22

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 6.5)

Whether people should accept bad circumstances or work to improve them is debatable. Although some individuals agree, others disagree. I strongly believe it's necessary for people to generally try to improve their situation.

Certain individuals find comfort in letting go of situations they feel are beyond their control, such as a shortage of money and mediocre jobs. The underlying cause for this development is the feeling of low self-esteem or lack of motivation. These two are the main culprits for accepting bad situations. Most people are too relaxed to try by all means to achieve greater heights. This means they find it hard for them to escape bad situations. For instance, healthcare workers such as nurses might choose to become bedside nurses for their whole life because they feel limited or lack the will to venture into other fields where they are appreciated enough, even though they are underpaid and are overworked. The knock-on effect is that they live in working environments where they are underappreciated and inadequately compensated for their work.

Taking charge of one's situation in order to improve it is the best call. Some people often make efforts to come out of difficult situations by any means. Nowadays, people go so far as to work part-time jobs and take out loans in order for them to overcome financial burdens. In addition, improving their situation gives people peace of mind. For instance, people who have worked under harsh conditions where they are not satisfied or underpaid tend to leave and find environments that are more favourable to them in both monetary and appreciation terms. The advantage is a healthy, productive mindset. Therefore, bad situations should serve as a challenge rather than a trap.

In summation, although accepting situations may be necessary, I strongly believe that people should try to improve their circumstances whenever possible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—accepting bad situations versus trying to improve them—and provides a clear personal opinion throughout the essay. The introduction clearly states the writer's stance, and both body paragraphs explore the underlying reasons and consequences associated with each perspective. For instance, the discussion on why people accept bad situations cites a lack of motivation and low self-esteem, supported by a relevant example of healthcare workers. Similarly, the counter-argument regarding taking charge is well-developed with examples of working part-time jobs and seeking more favourable environments. Ideas are extended and supported well, aligning comfortably with the Band 7 level expectations for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with an introduction, followed by body paragraphs examining the opposing views, and concluding with a summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'For instance', 'In addition', and 'Therefore' are used to connect ideas and guide the reader smoothly through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring that each major point is housed in its own logical section. While referencing and linking are generally clear, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical rather than fully seamless, which keeps the score at Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision. Phrases like 'beyond their control', 'financial burdens', and 'productive mindset' show a good grasp of topic-related terminology. There are also attempts at less common lexical items, such as 'mediocre jobs', 'culprits', and 'knock-on effect'. While word choice and collocation are generally appropriate, minor inaccuracies occur—for instance, saying 'for their whole life' rather than 'for their whole lives'. However, these lexical errors do not impede communication, and the vocabulary deployed is adequate to achieve a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0 representation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses, conditionals, and participial phrases. Sentences such as 'Although some individuals agree, others disagree' and 'Nowadays, people go so far as to work part-time jobs and take out loans in order for them to overcome financial burdens' highlight this structural variety. There are some minor grammatical errors, such as 'in order for them to overcome' (where 'for them' is redundant) and subject-verb nuances, but these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The control of punctuation and syntax is generally sound, supporting a Band 6.5 descriptor well.

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

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