Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-24

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)

It is believed that the acceptance of the bad circumstances like unsatisfactory professional life or scarcity of money is the best because it could prevent frustration. On the other hand, others argue that putting effort to improve such situations is more beneficial as it would make a person's life happy and I completely agree with this argument.

To begin with, frustration would be avoided by accepting the unfavourable situations. Firstly, people who deny these circumstances would have their mind occupied with dissatisfactions all the time. Similarly, they will feel mentally pressured resulting from overthinking and worrying about these problems. If they accept these situations, then it would help them to adapt, which would assist them in coping with these conditions. For example, a person would be mentally prepared to cope with hardships like money shortage if he accepts his state.

On the other hand, working to overcome the problems would bring joy to the person. When a person puts the effort to tackle the problem, then the possibility of finding the solutions increases. As the conditions come under control, an individual would be able to focus on various things like exploring his hobbies. Consequently, the person would be able to cherish his life which would bring happiness. For example, when a person enrolls in a part-time job to overcome the shortage of money, he would increase his income and he could engage in the activity in which he is passionate about.

To conclude, embracing the bad conditions would avoid frustration. In contrast, trying to overcome such conditions would make a persons life joyful as he could perform his favourite activities after tackling the hardships.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal position in the introduction. The ideas are relevant, such as the psychological benefits of acceptance versus the proactive approach of problem-solving. However, the development is somewhat limited; the arguments are repetitive and rely on general statements rather than deep analysis. For instance, the discussion on 'frustration' is a bit simplistic. To reach a higher band, you should provide more nuanced examples or explore the long-term consequences of these choices more thoroughly. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points, maintaining a consistent position throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'On the other hand', and 'Consequently' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more sophisticated. While the progression of ideas is clear, the transition between the two body paragraphs could be smoother to create a more cohesive argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'unfavourable situations', 'scarcity', and 'tackle'. There are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'deny these circumstances' (which is slightly unnatural; 'refuse to accept' would be better) and 'cherish his life' (which is a bit awkward in this context). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of academic collocations would significantly improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most sentences are clear, there are some grammatical errors, such as 'a persons life' (missing apostrophe) and 'the activity in which he is passionate about' (the preposition 'about' is redundant here). You have a good grasp of basic grammar, but the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more varied subordinate clauses and ensure consistent control over punctuation and prepositional usage. The errors present do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.

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

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