Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-04

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)

The issue of wether people accept difficult situation or try to improve them has become a serious topic of debate. Some people claim that it best to accept unsatisfactory job or low monthly income, while others believe that it is better to try to improve situations. I will focus on the ways to improve the situation before moving on to look to stay at unfavourable circumstances.

To commence, remaining in unsatisfactory job with a low income can be sometime unavoidable. One of the major reasons is lack of job opportunities in a person's country. When people can not find suitable job in their field, they prefer to remain in their job. Limited suitable employment and financial burden force people to stay in unsatisfactory situation. They may have to provide the financial support to their families. For example in Pakistan, 3 to 4 Government hospitals are present in one city, so doctors prefer to stay in their own city rather than moving to another city.

However, I personally believe that people should have to try to improve their situations rther than accepting bad situations. If someone is unhappy with their job, they should working towards which brings happiness and future opportunities. For example, if someone does not like their job they should lean a new skill which brings happiness and will open the dor of future opportunities.

In summary, accepting a bad situation might be a reason of someone, such as lack of suitable job opportunities and financial burden on that person. Thats why he is carrying unsatifactory job. In contrast, I believe that a person who does not like their job should focus on another skills and do a work which proves beneficial for them in future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—accepting difficult situations and trying to improve them—and provides the writer's own opinion. However, some ideas are under-developed or lack clarity, particularly the introductory overview of the essay structure which misstates the order of discussion by promising to look at staying in unfavourable circumstances first. Furthermore, arguments tend to be repetitive, such as the repeated focus on individuals not liking their jobs and learning new skills. While the position is generally clear, the supporting examples lack depth and specific detail, placing the response squarely at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph structure, using introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs appropriately. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'To commence', 'However', and 'In summary'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For instance, the transition between discussing the reasons for staying in a bad job and the writer's opposing view feels abrupt, and the pronoun referencing in sentences like 'Thats why he is carrying unsatifactory job' lacks precision. Progression is evident, but the logical flow between sentences could be smoother to reach a higher level.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'unsatisfactory', 'financial burden', and 'employment'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and spelling mistakes throughout the text, including 'wether' instead of 'whether', 'unsatifactory', and awkward phrasing like 'carrying unsatifactory job' instead of 'remaining in an unsatisfactory job'. Word choice is sometimes limited or imprecise, as seen in phrases like 'do a work' instead of 'perform work' or 'undertake tasks'. These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The text exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over basic structures. However, there are frequent errors in grammar, articles, and prepositions within grammatical patterns. Examples of errors include missing articles ('remaining in unsatisfactory job'), subject-verb agreement issues ('people can not find suitable job'), and faulty verb forms ('they should working towards', 'should lean a new skill'). While these errors occur regularly and cause some difficulty for the reader, they rarely completely impede overall communication, reflecting the characteristics of this level.

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