Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-28

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)

If a person encounters a crisis such as an unsatisfactory job or money shortage, there are two approaches one can take. One can simply accept the situation and try to live with it or they can try to improve the situation.

The first approach of accepting a situation and moving on is taken by people maybe because they are too tired or lazy to try and make a change. It also arises from people's mindset that whatever life has in store for them, they are obliged to accept it, no matter what. For example, a person who is not satisfied in his job may just accept it and not try to find another job. This is probably because he is already in a comfort zone where he might be getting paid enough to support his family and is unsure about about getting a new job with a higher pay. Therefore, he might chose acceptance over his job satisfaction. Similarly, some people during a financial crisis, tell their families to adjust rather than trying to solve the issue.

However, some people try to analyse the underlying cause for the situation and make amends. They understand that merely accepting will do no good and will only put them in a loop of being in the same situation over again. They try to think of ways the situation can be eliminated and work fully towards it. For example, if a person has an unsatisfactory job, he would look for other options which might offer him better job satisfaction. In this way, he might be able to overcome such situations in future. Similar is the case with money shortage, where people think of ways to earn money from other sources or to save up money for a crisis later on.

In my opinion, people should take the second approach of trying to overcome the situation rather than living with it. I strongly support this because only if people try, will they know how much they are capable of. If they never try, there will never be a scope for improvement from their current living conditions. People should hold themselves accountable for bad situations and figure a way out of it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically developed. For instance, the explanation of why people choose acceptance—citing comfort zones and fear of the unknown—is well-reasoned. The second viewpoint is also supported with logical examples regarding career changes and financial planning. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more nuanced examples or explore the potential downsides of 'trying to improve' situations, which would add greater depth to the discussion and demonstrate a more sophisticated level of critical thinking.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central focus, and the transition between the two viewpoints is handled effectively using the cohesive marker 'However'. The use of linking words such as 'Similarly', 'Therefore', and 'In this way' helps guide the reader through the argument. However, some cohesive devices are slightly repetitive or mechanical. To improve, the student could vary the sentence starters and use more sophisticated referencing to link ideas across paragraphs, which would make the flow feel more natural and less formulaic.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly. The student uses some topic-specific terms like 'financial crisis', 'underlying cause', and 'job satisfaction'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing. For example, 'make amends' is used slightly inaccurately in this context, as it usually implies apologizing for a wrong rather than solving a problem. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary and better control over nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is generally good control over grammar, and errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. For example, the sentence 'If they never try, there will never be a scope for improvement' is grammatically sound. There are minor slips, such as the repetition of 'about about' in the second paragraph and the slightly awkward phrasing 'Similar is the case with'. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for a greater variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more advanced conditional forms, while maintaining the current level of accuracy.

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

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