Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-03
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)
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.
In my opinion, it is better to try and improve such situations and i will try to prove my point in the below paragraphs.
On the one hand, trying to improve and get out of these situations is often very difficult, which becomes the main reason why people do not even try and accept the situation. Although, the situation of most people improves slowly, by taking time but if the person tries once and succeeds, then it is also not bad. But if people keep accepting these type of situations in their life, then their life can become very unstable and they can suffer from different types of mental illnesses like anxiety, overthinking and even depression.
On the other hand, improving these situations can help the person stay more relaxed and stress-free.But always trying to improve these situations can also result very badly. For example, if a person is suffering from unstable financial conditions and takes a loan, then he would lose his freedom trying to pay off the loan. But in case of an unsatisfactory job, a person should try to change and work in a friendly and comfortable environment.
In conclusion, a person should try to change and improve for better to keep himself and others happy, only after discussing with a trusted person or family.
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
Your response addresses the task only partially, presenting both views and a personal position, but the development of ideas remains limited and under-developed. For instance, the discussion on the negative impacts of accepting a bad situation touches on mental health like anxiety and depression, but this point is not fully extended with specific examples or deep analysis. Furthermore, it is important to note that the Length Check shows the response contains only 209 words, which fails to meet the minimum requirement of 250 words, leaving 42 words copied from the task prompt uncounted. To move up, you must ensure you write a full-length essay that covers all parts of the prompt with thoroughly extended and well-supported ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
Your essay displays some overall organization with clear paragraph breaks separating the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, but there is no clear overall progression of ideas throughout the text. Cohesive devices are sometimes used, but referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the transition from discussing the acceptance of bad situations directly into the counter-argument without a smooth logical bridge. Additionally, sentences can feel somewhat mechanical or disconnected. To improve cohesion to a higher level, you need to ensure that every sentence links logically to the next, creating a seamless and clear flow of thought from beginning to end while utilizing a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use a limited but minimally adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating basic concepts related to jobs and financial situations. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and expression, such as writing 'result very badly' instead of having negative consequences, and 'in the below paragraphs', which uses less natural phrasing. There are also occasional informal expressions that lower the academic tone. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a broader range of less common lexical items, pay closer attention to natural collocations, and ensure greater precision in word choice throughout your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
Your writing demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple and moderately complex forms with frequent errors. Noticeable issues include lower-case letters for the pronoun 'i', punctuation errors such as missing spaces after periods (e.g., 'stress-free.But always'), and awkward clause structures in sentences like 'Although, the situation of most people improves slowly, by taking time...'. These frequent errors can occasionally cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a better score, you need to increase your control over complex sentence patterns, ensure correct punctuation and capitalization, and reduce the frequency of grammatical slips in your sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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