Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-10

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)

In the modern world, it is undeniable that individuals often face challenging situations such as unsatisfactory jobs or financial difficulties. Some people believe that it is best to accept these circumstances, while other argue that is more beneficial to try to enhance them. in this essay, an attempt will be made to examine both perspectives.

Those who support accepting difficult situations provide some reasons to justify their view. One of the most apparent reasons is that acceptance can reduce stress and assist individuals maintain stability. To illustrate, constantly striving for change may lead to frustration, especially when opportunities are limited. For instance, folks are living in difficult economic conditions may not have the resources or support to enhance their circumstances immediately, so accepting reality may help them focus on managing their current situation, In addition, acceptance can promote mental well being by encouraging people to adapt rather then struggle continuously.

Those who disagree with the above idea also have some points that should not be overlooked. One major reason is that attempting to enhance a condition can lead to personal expansion and better opportunities. To clarify, community who take action are more likely to develop new skills, expand their income, and achieve greater satisfaction. For example, someone who is dissatisfied with their job may choose to pursue further education or seek a better position, which can lead to long term success. From personal observation, people who actively try to change their circumstance often achieve more fulfilling lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views as required, but the failure to meet the minimum word count (247 words) is a significant issue that limits the depth of the discussion. While you present relevant arguments for both sides, the conclusion is entirely missing, which means your own opinion is not clearly stated or developed. To reach a higher band, you must ensure you provide a clear, consistent position throughout the essay and include a concluding paragraph that synthesizes your arguments. The ideas provided are relevant but remain somewhat superficial due to the lack of a full conclusion and the brevity of the response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific viewpoint. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In addition' and 'For instance', to link ideas. However, the progression is interrupted by the abrupt ending of the essay. The lack of a concluding paragraph makes the overall structure feel incomplete. To improve, ensure that you use a wider range of cohesive devices to connect sentences more fluidly and always include a clear summary or conclusion to provide a sense of closure to your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'undeniable', 'circumstances', and 'personal expansion'. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices, such as 'community who take action' (should be 'people' or 'individuals') and 'folks are living' (should be 'people living'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoid informal language like 'folks' in an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'other argue' (should be 'others argue') and 'adapt rather then struggle' (should be 'rather than'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, though there is a comma splice in the second paragraph ('...current situation, In addition...'). While the errors are not frequent enough to impede understanding, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of subordinating conjunctions to create more complex, error-free sentences.

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

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