Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-28
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 5.5)
It is a matter of conflict, among varied individuals to either agree or diasgree with the limited financial resources they have or how much stressful their work is. It is a matter of critical concern for both of the views, as they stand on strong grounds. I strongly believe both must have their own arguments and reasons for that.
Firstly, if I argue about having a low paying job or engaging with disturbing circumstances in daily life and still believe that it is better not to go beyong the limits and foresee the upcoming oppertunities can be a blessing in disguise because of the laying off period ongoing in my companies. So, by remaining on the current position and role can benefit some individuals in terms of security of not having a job.
Secondly, when I show my concern about the second argument of interest, I would affirmly state that, not staying in comfort zone and having a thriving attitude to excel is critical for a person who prioritize the living standars of his family and more importantly for himseld. As, some who do not sit and wait for great things to happen and struggle on their own have hard nuts to crack, yet they foster and achieve a financial freedom and less concerning issues afterwards.
However, both have their own reality grounds, and reasons to rely on. I personally believe that, going beyond the limits and seeking a stable and reliable income and future will feel uncertain and distressing at start, but with ongoing time, it will be worth it.
Concluding with all the arguments believing whether it is a satisfaction to stay at your current position and find your comfort, or thrive for upcoming oppertunities, I believe one should go and disturb his comfortzone, to achieve something great in his life. In future generation I can see this shine as they do not settle for less.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—accepting difficult situations versus striving to improve them—and provides a clear personal opinion. The writer's position is maintained throughout the essay. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven and relies heavily on first-person narrative style, such as 'if I argue about having a low paying job'. While the arguments regarding job security during layoffs and the benefits of ambition are relevant, they could be extended and supported with more objective reasoning rather than purely anecdotal phrasing. Nevertheless, the prompt is fully engaged with, and the main ideas are identifiable, placing this response securely in Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt at paragraphing, separating the introduction, the two body paragraphs, and the conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'However', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or awkward, such as 'when I show my concern about the second argument of interest'. Referencing is occasionally confusing due to shifts in perspective and pronoun usage, such as mixing first-person pronouns with generalized statements. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to structure the text logically, but the progression of ideas within paragraphs can sometimes feel disjointed due to phrasing, resulting in a Band 6.0 performance for this criterion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'blessing in disguise', 'comfort zone', and 'financial freedom'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('diasgree', 'beyong', 'oppertunities', 'standars') and issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'laying off period ongoing in my companies' and 'less concerning issues afterwards'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur regularly enough to restrict the score to Band 5.5, as precision and stylistic awareness are compromised by inaccurate word formations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some ambition in constructing multi-clause sentences. However, frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing hinder readability. Examples include 'It is a matter of conflict, among varied individuals to either agree or diasgree', 'how much stressful their work is', and 'some who do not sit and wait for great things to happen and struggle on their own have hard nuts to crack, yet they foster and achieve a financial freedom'. Punctuation errors, such as unnecessary commas splitting verb phrases, are also present. Due to the frequent errors in complex structures that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.