Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-03

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 5.5)

Some people think that it is best to accept a bad situation, like an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is the best to try and improve in such situation. Hard time is that time in which we can test our own patience and how we handle that situation by learning something or becomes disappointed.

It is best to accept bad situation some people believes that. They thought accept your defeat and keep doing what you get. If you found an unsatisfactory job so people believes that it was in your luck. If you have shortage of money then it is not your fault. If any person who did BS in Computer Science found a job in hotel and the job is to sit in front of computer to computing the bill. The person who got this job is way more genius for this job but some people believes that just accept your luck and continue your work.

Some people believes that it better to try and improve such situation. They thought that if you found an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money then it is a way to try and improve in this situation. They believed that learn from your mistakes and keep trying then you will find better results, instead of regretting try and improve. They believed that if any person started a new factory and he did some mistakes and his factory made a big loss for him so he had not to be worry instead of this he should learn from his mistake and keep trying and continue his factory.

In my opinion, I believe that if any person is capable to do better job then he should have to try to get a better job. If any person has shortage of money and he has some skills he should not accept his luck instead of crying he must have use his skills in his work with patience. I am more agree with the thought of people who said keep trying and improve.

In conclusion, I believe that both have reasonable arguments, but I am more convinced with the idea of keep trying and you will get result.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the example of the computer science graduate working in a hotel is relevant but is explained in a simplistic manner. The arguments regarding 'accepting fate' versus 'improving' are presented, but the analysis remains at a surface level. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more nuanced reasoning and explore the implications of these choices more thoroughly rather than repeating the same points about 'shortage of money' or 'unsatisfactory jobs' throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'In my opinion' and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is often mechanical, and the use of cohesive devices is sometimes repetitive or slightly awkward, such as the frequent use of 'They thought' or 'They believed'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making the progression of ideas feel a bit disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph transitions smoothly into the next would significantly enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'bad situation', 'unsatisfactory job', and 'shortage of money' repeatedly. There are also some instances of word-choice errors, such as 'way more genius for this job' (should be 'overqualified') and 'he had not to be worry' (should be 'he should not worry'). To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and academic vocabulary that fits the context of a formal discussion, rather than relying on simple, repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'some people believes'), incorrect verb tenses, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'I am more agree with'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are errors in sentence construction that make some parts difficult to follow. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed accurately without losing clarity.

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

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