Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-01

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)

A number of people think that accepting bad situation is best in situations like unsatisfactory occupation or shortage of money while others believe that it is better to try and improve these situations. Sometimes accepting situations reduces mental stress and helps to adapt the circumstances that may be beyond their control. On the other hand, putting in consistent effort can yield positive results often and improve the situations. Thus i agree with the second view as people should try further to develop their circumstances.

We have to face countless challenges in our life, especially in job sector and the limitation of money. Some situations are beyond human control due to our inherent limitations and shortcomings. For instance, a corporate employee may have conflicts with their manager, but leaving the job immediately may not be a viable option because they need a stable source of income. Hence it is better for the employee to adjust and accept the situation without any arguement.

On the other hand, trying to search for an alternative for any worst situation may open up new opportunities in these kind of situations. Because, making an effort to change one's circumstances can help people discover better opportunities that they might otherwise overlook. For example, an employee who is dissatisfied with their current job may search for another position and eventually find a job with better pay, working conditions or career prospects. Thus trying has positive

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially, presenting some discussion on both views and an opinion, but it suffers from a significant drawback regarding length, as the response falls short of the minimum 250-word requirement. Consequently, the ideas are limited and under-developed. For example, the argument regarding accepting a bad situation is touched upon with an example of an employee in conflict with a manager, but the development remains brief and superficial. Furthermore, the final paragraph cuts off mid-sentence, leaving the conclusion incomplete and failing to fully explore the alternative view as instructed by the prompt. To reach a higher band, the writer must ensure the full word count is met, complete all paragraphs fully, and extend arguments with richer explanations and examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation evident in the text, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and transition words such as "On the other hand" and "Thus". However, there is no clear overall progression throughout the essay, and cohesive devices are sometimes repetitive or basic. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is abruptly cut off, which disrupts the logical flow of the piece. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as the ambiguous pronoun use in phrases like "adapt the circumstances". To improve, the writer needs to ensure every paragraph is fully finished, use a wider and more accurate variety of cohesive devices to link ideas smoothly, and establish a clear logical progression from introduction to conclusion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer uses a limited but minimally adequate range of vocabulary for the task, with attempts at less common items such as "unsatisfactory occupation" and "viable option". However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation that cause some difficulty for the reader, such as writing "accepting bad situation" (missing an article) and "adapt the circumstances" instead of "adapt to the circumstances". Word formation errors are also present, such as "arguement" instead of "argument". To achieve a higher band, the writer should incorporate a wider range of precise lexical items, pay closer attention to natural collocations, and eliminate spelling and word-choice errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The text displays a limited range of structures, relying mostly on straightforward sentence patterns. While there are some attempts at complex sentences, these are often faulty or awkward, such as the dependent clauses in "Sometimes accepting situations reduces mental stress and helps to adapt the circumstances that may be beyond their control." Frequent errors in grammar are apparent, including missing articles ("accepting bad situation", "in job sector"), preposition errors, and punctuation issues. These errors require some effort from the reader to interpret the intended meaning. To improve, the writer should practice forming complex sentences with greater accuracy and carefully proofread to reduce basic grammatical slips.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.