Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-03
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 views and give your own opinion.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
Life is like a roller coaster with many ups and downs . It is never certain in one's life . As life goes on ,many obstacles are faced but the best a person could do is to move on.
A person who is working hard but faced a situation like someone's demise in family and now there is no one who could provide for family is forced to work an unsatisfactory job due to the shortage of money . However, he should pass this difficult situation as there is a famous quote in the ancient sufism : "This shall too pass" . Working this unsatisfactory job would make this person mentally and physically exhaustible . His whole life would be in misery as he is bound to work and could no longer do what he wants.
Therefore , I believe that a person should pass whatever he is forced to do and after passing in this situation he should do what he wants.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 163 words. Consequently, the development of ideas is severely limited. While the prompt asks to discuss both views, the essay focuses almost exclusively on the perspective of accepting a bad situation, with only a brief, vague mention of the alternative. The position is stated but lacks the depth and supporting evidence required for a higher band. To improve, you must provide a balanced discussion of both viewpoints, ensuring each is supported by clear examples and logical reasoning, and you must meet the minimum length to allow for full development of your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into very short paragraphs, which hinders the logical progression of ideas. While there is a basic attempt at structure, the transition between the two views is weak. Cohesive devices are used sparingly and sometimes awkwardly, such as the repetitive use of 'passing in this situation'. The overall flow is disjointed because the arguments are not fully expanded or linked effectively. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'conversely', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that contributes to the overall argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'unsatisfactory job' and 'shortage of money' are used, but there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or academic collocations. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'exhaustible' (which should be 'exhausting') and 'demise in family' (which is slightly unnatural; 'a death in the family' is more standard). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that words are used in their correct grammatical form and context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'It is never certain in one's life' is awkward, and 'This shall too pass' is a misquotation of the idiom 'This too shall pass'. There are also issues with punctuation and spacing, such as spaces before commas. The range of structures is limited, and the errors occasionally make the intended meaning slightly less clear. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors in verb tense and word order.
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