Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-20
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)
According to some individuals, it is fine to accept when something bad has happened to you. Others believe that you should change the circumstances in your favor. Accepting a bad situation in some cases might be beneficial, but I believe learning from your mistakes and altering the circumstances should be everyones priority.
Firstly, people accept bad situations because they do not see a way out of those difficult circumstances. In most cases it is difficult to change your current state, and people give up easily. An example could be of a person doing a job that is paying well, but is not what he wanted to do. It would be quite hard for the individual to find a job that is paying well, and at the same time is satisfactory. Secondly, in most of the cases many individuals are not surrounded by supportive people. This also contributes to the lack of motivation to change something.
I personally believe, that these are not the excuses that a person should have in any case. There is always a way to change the state that you are currently in. Every individual should access their options and make a decision that suits them the best. Every successful invention has faced a number of failed attempts. The same approach should be followed by everyone to reach the goal that they want to achieve. During my final year project, at every step, we had to figure out a different strategy to overcome an obstacle. It was easy for me and my group to change to a different project, but somehow we figured out every step and eventually completed the project before the deadline.
In conclusion, people generally prefer giving up rather than putting efforts to change the situation. There are a lot of contributors to these kind of behaviors. However, there is always a way to improve the situtaion that you are currently facing. Efforts could lead to a situtaion that might not be perfect, but it would be better than doing nothing.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
You discuss both accepting difficult circumstances and trying to improve them, and your position is clear: you favour learning from mistakes and changing what can be changed. The examples of an unsatisfactory but well-paid job and your final-year project are relevant, with the project giving your view some personal support. However, the discussion of acceptance is less fully developed: you mention limited options and lack of support, but do not explore when accepting a situation might be sensible or beneficial. Your argument for change also relies on broad claims such as “There is always a way,” which could be qualified and supported with a more specific example. More balanced development of both views would strengthen the response.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two perspectives, and a conclusion. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “However” help readers follow the argument, and the final-year project example is placed where it supports your position. The progression is generally logical, though some links feel mechanical, and the relationship between ideas could be made more explicit. For example, the paragraph about accepting a bad situation lists financial difficulty and lack of support, but does not clearly connect these reasons to the idea that acceptance may sometimes be beneficial. The conclusion also repeats the central claim rather than drawing together the two views. Use more precise referencing and transitions to show how each point develops the argument.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough vocabulary to communicate the topic, including phrases such as “difficult circumstances,” “lack of motivation,” and “overcome an obstacle.” However, the range is somewhat repetitive, particularly with repeated use of “situation,” “change,” and “individual.” Some choices are imprecise or unnatural: “change the circumstances in your favor” is less suitable than language about improving one’s circumstances, while “access their options” should be expressed as considering or assessing them. There are also spelling errors in “everyones,” “situtaion,” and “these kind of behaviors,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise collocations and vary key terms without forcing overly formal vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses such as “because they do not see a way out” and a relative clause in “a job that is paying well.” Most sentences remain understandable, and errors rarely obstruct the message. Some grammatical and punctuation slips persist, however. In “I personally believe, that,” the comma is unnecessary; “everyones priority” needs a possessive apostrophe; and “these kind of behaviors” requires agreement between the demonstrative and noun. The sentence beginning “An example could be of a person…” is also awkwardly constructed. To improve, check agreement, possessives, and punctuation, and practise expressing examples with more controlled sentence patterns.
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