Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12

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)

Some people argue that it is in their best interest to accept unfavourable circumstances, such as an unfulfilling job or insufficient capital, while others believe it is better to try to improve them. I strongly agree that even though people may lack financial security and end up in a bad situation, they should try to improve their quality of life.

In such situations, people often accept their fate in bad situations due to a lack of financial security and basic needs. They need a stable income to fulfil their basic needs, such as food, rent and healthcare. For example, a person may take an average-paying job because their family depends on their salary. Lack of risk-taking capability is another reason why people accept a bad condition. They lack the resources or will to take further risks, which can make them give up. For example, a person from a poor family background may settle for an unsatisfactory job because he did not receive a proper education or develop skills. This can lead them to accept their conditions as they are.

Some people believe they can improve their financial situation because they want a better standard of living for themselves and their families. They can do this by seeking better employment and career opportunities or a higher-paying job. For example, if a person is doing a low-paying job and, over time, they learn new skills or build new products, they can improve their chances of getting a high-paying job. As a result, they can switch to a better organisation with a better salary.

In conclusion, although a lack of financial security and risk-taking ability can force a person to accept unfavourable conditions, they can still improve their situation by learning better skills and seeking a better job and salary.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both views and state a clear position: “I strongly agree” that people should try to improve their circumstances. The reasons for accepting a bad situation—financial dependence and limited ability or willingness to take risks—are relevant, and the examples help illustrate them. You also explain how gaining skills and seeking better employment may improve someone’s prospects. However, the discussion is uneven: the case for acceptance is developed through two reasons, while the case for change relies mainly on better pay and career opportunities. Some claims, such as learning skills leading to a higher-paying job, would benefit from a more specific explanation or example. Develop both sides more evenly and clarify how your opinion weighs the competing considerations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion that restates your position. The progression from reasons for accepting circumstances to ways of improving them is easy to follow. Linking phrases such as “For example,” “As a result,” and “In conclusion” help signal relationships between ideas. At times, however, the connections feel somewhat mechanical, and repeated references to “bad situations” and “financial security” make the discussion less fluid. The first body paragraph also moves from financial dependence to risk-taking without a strong transition. Use more varied, precise referencing and add a sentence that explicitly links each example to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “unfavourable circumstances,” “financial security,” “risk-taking capability,” and “career opportunities.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and the meaning remains accessible throughout. There are also some imprecise or unnatural combinations, such as “accept their fate in bad situations,” “accept a bad condition,” and “build new products” in the context of improving employment prospects. Repetition of “better” and “situation” limits flexibility, while “insufficient capital” sounds more like business funding than a personal shortage of money. Aim for more natural collocations and vary repeated terms; this would make the vocabulary more precise and fluent without needing unnecessarily complex words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You show a useful range of sentence forms, including a complex concession in “even though people may lack financial security” and conditional structures such as “if a person is doing a low-paying job… they can improve their chances.” Many sentences are accurate and punctuation is generally controlled, so the argument is easy to understand. A few grammatical slips remain. In “Lack of risk-taking capability is another reason why people accept a bad condition,” the singular “condition” does not fit the general meaning as naturally as a plural form. In “This can lead them to accept their conditions,” the pronoun reference is not fully clear, and “they” shifts between singular “a person” and plural meaning in the examples. Keep number and reference consistent, and check articles and plurals when revising.

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