Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-05

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 because it gives you closure and helps you see beyond it. However, others argue that one should always try to improve such situations because hard work can make dreams come true. I agree with the latter view.

On the one hand, some people are of the view that it is best to accept a bad situation as it can offer a sense of relief and closure. Accepting a unfavourable situation, can help people make peace with it rather than constantly stressing about it. Furthermore, this act of acceptance will help people focus on other tasks at hand that require their time and attention; putting an end to constantly thinking about escape plans. For example, even if a person gets a job that isn't their dream job, they should be grateful for it and should make the most of it. If they continue thinking about how to get out of this situation they might end up losing this job too.

On the other hand, some people argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. This is because one should never give on their dreams despite how undesireable the circumstances are. People should work hard and strive towards improving their situation as constant endless effort can make dreams come true. For example, Ronaldo's family was struggling when he started playing at a very young age. However, he had a dream and he worked hard to achieve it. Hence his dedication paid off and now he is the greatest footballer of all times.

In conclusion, even though some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation as it offers a sense of relief, I believe that one should always work hard to improve their situtaion.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on accepting versus improving difficult situations and presents a clear personal position in the introduction and conclusion. However, the development of ideas is uneven. While the arguments are generally relevant, some points are under-developed. For instance, the paragraph supporting the acceptance of a bad situation relies on a single brief example about an unsatisfying job, which is not fully extended. Similarly, the counterargument about striving for improvement moves quickly into a general example of a famous footballer without fully exploring the underlying principles of the debate. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to provide more thorough explanations and fully develop each main point with deeper supporting details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear stance and standard paragraph structure, using introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs appropriately. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical. The writer relies on basic, predictable cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the argument, which can feel formulaic. Furthermore, referencing and logical transitions within paragraphs could be smoother; for example, the link between accepting an unfavourable situation and avoiding job loss lacks fully clear connective tissue. Paragraphing is present, but overall cohesion occasionally lacks flexibility.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used provides an adequate range for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common items and academic phrases, such as 'sense of relief', 'closure', and 'strive towards improving', which demonstrate a satisfactory control of everyday words and some collocations. However, there are minor lexical inaccuracies, such as the spelling error 'unfavourable' being preceded by 'a' instead of 'an' ('Accepting a unfavourable situation'), and the typo in the conclusion ('situtaion'). Additionally, the choice of words is sometimes repetitive, lacking the precision and stylistic flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The text displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating that the writer can handle subordinate clauses and varied sentence beginnings. There are some error-free sentences, particularly in straightforward descriptive statements. However, a number of grammatical and mechanical errors persist throughout the text. These include missing or misused articles, such as 'at all times' instead of 'of all time' in the final sentence of the third body paragraph, and occasional awkward phrasing in complex structures. While these errors do not impede overall communication and the reader can easily follow the meaning, they prevent the grammar from reaching a higher level of consistent accuracy.

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