Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-05

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)

Ups and downs are a part of life and the successful is one who goes on improving himself and not stops waiting for the right time because the time is not always unfavourable, bad is the person who stops improving himself continuously. I truly believe in steady improvement and becoming a best version of my own.

Improvement is the only thing which can satisfy someone in every field of life. It comes by trying continuously without waiting for the right time to come. The time waits for no one and the only person who gets blessed by it is the one who values it. Getting an average job is normal but sticking to it is not normal, as it leads to destruction of personality and the reality of life. The biggest example for improvement is Elon Musk which is the first trillionaire in human history according to records. He was an average person but taking high risks and trying again and again made him such successful in life that everyone wants to become wealthy like him.

Accepting a bad situation and stop trying for betterment causes the biggest loss of losing moral of life. Money shortage is a temporary part of life which can be fixed by using new ideas and facing some struggle. The main reason for averageness of people is their believe in prestige. Sometimes, the reward in prestige has to come by hard work but the laziness of people accounts for losing it.

In conclusion, the improvement is the only key to success and there is no right time for trying continuously. Life gives chance to everyone and provides only to them who truly value and utilize these chances.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views, but the discussion is somewhat unbalanced. You focus heavily on the benefits of improvement, while the perspective of those who believe in accepting a bad situation is only briefly mentioned and not explored with sufficient depth. The prompt asks to discuss both views, which requires a more balanced exploration of why some people might choose acceptance (e.g., peace of mind, stability, or lack of resources). Your personal opinion is clear, but the supporting arguments, such as the reference to Elon Musk, are slightly underdeveloped and rely on a factual inaccuracy regarding his wealth status. To improve, ensure each viewpoint is given equal space and supported by more logical, well-reasoned arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression between ideas is sometimes disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices, they are occasionally used in a way that feels mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as the transition 'Getting an average job is normal but sticking to it is not normal'. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the flow of your argument. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that transitions smoothly into the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. You rely on some repetitive phrasing, such as 'improving himself' and 'right time'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'destruction of personality' and 'averageness of people', which do not sound natural in an academic context. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that are appropriate for a formal discussion, and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'the successful is one who goes on', 'made him such successful', and 'their believe in prestige' (should be 'belief'). These errors, while not always impeding communication, occur frequently enough to impact the overall clarity of your writing. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct word forms (noun vs. verb), and the accurate use of articles. Proofreading your work for these common errors will help you achieve a higher score.

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

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