Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-23
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 say that accepting a bad situation is best, such as a job that is not good enough or does not pay a good amount of money. Others argue that it is good to keep trying and improve such conditions. In this essay, I will discuss both views and give my own opinion.
On the one hand, some people believe that accepting unpleasant things, such as a job that you are not satisfied or that does not pay you enough wages. For example, a person is doing a nine-to-five job, and the job is not giving the person a yearly bonus also the pay is not enough for him to run his family. However, he can not do anything except doing that job, because he can not find a new job. So, he has to keep that job going, even if it is not fulfilling his needs. As a result, he has to accept that situation for his bread and butter.
On the other hand, other people believe that it is good to try and make such circumstances good. They think that it is better to make a conclusion out of it, rather than accepting it as it is. For example, it you are poor or are in shortage of money, you have to put all your efforts in it and make your life better to afford everything in life, rather than just sitting and watching yourself drown.
In conclusion, I believe that it is better to keep trying and improving situations rather than just accepting the bad situations like a bad job or a poor life with money shortage.
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
You address both views and state a clear preference for trying to improve difficult circumstances, especially in the introduction and conclusion. The example of someone keeping an unsatisfactory job because they cannot find another one is relevant and helps explain why acceptance may sometimes be necessary. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the first view is mainly illustrated through one hypothetical case, while the second is expressed in broad terms such as “put all your efforts” without explaining practical steps or likely outcomes. The phrase “make a conclusion out of it” also makes the second view unclear. To strengthen the response, explain the reasoning behind each position more fully and support your opinion with a specific, developed example.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the main stages easy to identify. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes repetitive or unclear. In the first body paragraph, the example moves through several versions of the same point—that the worker’s pay is inadequate and that he must keep the job—without developing the argument much further. The second paragraph shifts from “they” to “you,” which weakens the consistency of the discussion. Use clearer links between claim, explanation, and example, and make references to people and situations consistent.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “unsatisfactory job,” “shortage of money,” “yearly bonus,” and “fulfilling his needs.” Some phrases show an attempt to express ideas vividly, such as “watching yourself drown.” However, the range is limited and several choices are awkward or imprecise, including “make such circumstances good,” “make a conclusion out of it,” and “a good amount of money.” Repetition of “good,” “job,” and “situation” also limits flexibility. Aim for more precise collocations and vary key terms; for example, describe improving circumstances as “addressing the problem” or “seeking better employment,” rather than repeatedly using “make” and “good.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt a mixture of simple and longer sentences, and the overall meaning is usually understandable. However, complex structures are not consistently controlled. In “a job that you are not satisfied,” the adjective pattern needs a preposition (“satisfied with”), and the opening sentence of the first body paragraph is incomplete because it begins with “such as” but has no main clause. The example sentence beginning “For example, a person is doing…” also joins ideas without clear punctuation, while “it you are poor” contains a typing error that affects the sentence. There is some control of basic sentence forms, but review clause construction, prepositions in grammatical patterns, and punctuation, then proofread carefully.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.