Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-20

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 views and give your own opinion.

 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Numerous people think that it is better to accept a deleterous situation like a unsatified job or finiancial hardship. Other individuals give contradicting statements that it is good to make efforts and improve such conditions. In this essay, I will discuss both views before my own opinion about economic conditions and unsatisfied job.

On one hand, selecting a career has many beneficial impacts on the living standards of people. A job with high salary would enable a person to afford every facility and he can also support his family. But it is necessary for a person to be satisfied that his job is meaningful, as it would make him more productive and active in his work. For instance, a satisfied person would take his work as a responsibilty and would be a good addition to the economy and society.

However, unsatisfied job has many bad impacts on the physical as well as on mental health of individals. People should have to try for a job opportunity that makes him feel relaxed and satisfied. Some individuals have jobs that are not according to their qualifications but due to financial hardship they pursue their jobs and feel that they can do nothing. Such people not only affect their mental health but prolonged stress makes them physically unfit as well.

In my opinion, people should go with their jobs even they are not feeling good by pursuing it, along with that they improve their skills and get experience instead of leaving a job and try for a better job according to their career goals .

In conclusion, it a good to accept a unsatisfied job and make improvement in skills to get a better job instead of facing financial strains by resigning a job. It would help people to live in stress free environment and work on their goals to get a better option in future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat inconsistent. While the first body paragraph discusses the importance of job satisfaction, the second paragraph focuses on the negative impacts of an unsatisfactory job without fully exploring the 'accepting a bad situation' perspective. The conclusion introduces a nuanced opinion, but the argument throughout the essay is slightly repetitive and lacks depth in exploring the trade-offs between financial stability and personal fulfillment. To reach a higher band, ensure each viewpoint is balanced and supported with more specific, logical reasoning rather than general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand,' 'However,' and 'In conclusion' are used to signal shifts in the argument. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where the flow between sentences is slightly disjointed. For example, the transition between the discussion of mental health and the final opinion could be smoother. Referencing is generally clear, but the essay would benefit from a wider variety of linking words to improve the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, but there are several spelling errors ('deleterous', 'unsatified', 'finiancial') and word choice inaccuracies ('unsatisfied job' instead of 'unsatisfying job'). While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'financial hardship' and 'living standards,' the repetition of basic terms limits the score. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure accurate spelling of key terms. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and pronoun usage (e.g., 'a person... he can', 'a job... makes him'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'in this essay, I will discuss both views before my own opinion'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring accuracy in basic grammar would significantly improve the score.

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

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