Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-14

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 6.0)

Nowadays, there is an ongoing debate on whether to accept a bad situation or try to improve it. Some people think that it should be accepted, while others argue that efforts should be made for betterment. I will discuss both sides before presenting a significant conclusion.

On one hand, proponents say that individuals facing issues like unsatisfactory job or less financial resources should accept their situation for peace of their mind because there are some external factors that are beyond their control, such as poor background, unfair system, and less opportunities. Thinking constantly about these will make situation even worse, as negative thoughts have detrimental effects on physical as well as mental health, which could also impact people's productivity. However, accepting a condition and focusing on other things like spending a quality time with friends and family members can mental relaxation and sense of pleasure.

On the other hand, opponents believe that people should continue to work hard in order to improve their circumstances. People who are not satisfied with their income or jobs can upgrade their qualifications and skills to make themselves eligible for better opportunities. For example, numerous people learn short courses on weekends or techniques that can help them in personal grooming and professional developments. It will not only make their conditions better, but also make them confident, self-reliant, and productive.

In my opinion, people should always do efforts like learning new skills and techniques to make their circumstances better. The factors that are affecting individuals' situation could be addressed without exhaustion. For instance, financial hurdles can be resolves by learning a skill to earn money or job promotion. It will give them long term satisfaction rather than short term pleasure.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of mental health benefits for acceptance and skill acquisition for improvement. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument for acceptance could be strengthened by providing a more concrete example of a situation where change is truly impossible. While the position is clear throughout, the supporting arguments could be more thoroughly extended to reach a higher band. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'For instance' are used appropriately to link ideas. However, the transition between some sentences is slightly mechanical, and there is occasional repetition of phrasing. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the argument. To improve, you could vary the cohesive devices further to create a more natural flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You demonstrate a sufficient range of topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'detrimental effects', 'self-reliant', and 'professional developments'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'can mental relaxation' (missing a verb like 'provide') and 'financial hurdles can be resolves' (grammatical error affecting lexical accuracy). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the precision is not always consistent. Expanding your range of collocations and ensuring accurate word forms will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'can mental relaxation and sense of pleasure' is missing a verb, and 'do efforts' is an unnatural collocation (should be 'make efforts'). Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and pluralization, such as 'less opportunities' instead of 'fewer opportunities'. Despite these errors, the meaning is generally clear, and the complexity of the sentence structures shows an attempt to use a variety of forms. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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