Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-29
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 suggested by some individuals that it is necessary to stay calm and satisfied in every situation regardless you are facing financial difficulties or job hardships. While others oppose this narrative and argue that people should try their best to overcome these hardships and find jobs where they feel comfortable. In this essay I will discuss both views and explain why I feel it is better to find other opportunities that truly match with your personality.
On the one hand, all countries are facing shortage of jobs, the primary reason of this is increasing population which cost many youngsters as they are not able to pursue their field jobs. Moreover, they are forced to do jobs that are not connected with their passion, so nowadays people thought that it is beneficial to do any job to earn money which can then be used to fulfill the personal or family expenses.
On the other hand, other people still argue that individuals should countinously try to hunt a job or pursue a career that fulfill their requirements and directly connected with their personality traits. Moreover, difficulties at workplace also disturb the mental health of the individual, so it is better to try your best to find a career that give you mental satisfaction. Furthermore, nowadays everything is expensive and we have to pay a lot for basic human needs such as food and fuel for our routine travel so money is also a important factor which have to take an account whenever we start our career.
In conclusion, from my perspective the need of an hour is to kick start your career in any field to gain experience and financial stability at a point but always try to improve your situation and never stuck on the job that gives you mental tension and less money which will not fulfill your expenditures. Additionallay, mental satisfaction is the most curious element which will never be eliminated whenever we plan our future.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—accepting a bad situation versus trying to improve it—and clearly presents their own opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas presented in the body paragraphs are relevant, exploring reasons why people settle for less, such as population growth and the necessity to cover basic expenses, contrasted with the importance of mental health and career fulfillment. However, some of the supporting ideas tend to over-generalise or remain slightly under-developed, particularly regarding job shortages and the definition of a bad situation. Despite these minor limitations, the main arguments are well-extended and support the overall stance effectively, aligning comfortably with the requirements for a Band 6.5 or solid 6.0 performance. Awarding a band score of 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a clear overall progression and logical organisation. The essay is appropriately divided into four paragraphs: an introduction, two body paragraphs discussing opposing views, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to signal shifts in argument, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent reliance on 'moreover' and 'furthermore' to link sentences. Paragraphing is used sufficiently, but internal paragraph cohesion could be smoother. The overall arrangement remains coherent, making it a reliable Band 6 response. Awarding a band score of 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common and topic-specific items such as 'financial difficulties', 'personality traits', 'financial stability', and 'mental satisfaction'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'regardless you are facing' instead of 'regardless of whether you are facing', 'countinously' (spelling error), 'an important factor which have to take an account', and 'most curious element' instead of 'crucial element'. While these errors do not impede communication, they reflect typical Band 6 limitations in lexical precision and word formation. Awarding a band score of 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordination and relative clauses, such as 'jobs that are not connected with their passion' and 'money which can then be used to fulfill'. However, there is a recurrence of grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text. Examples include fragment-like structures, missing prepositions, and agreement issues, such as 'people thought that' (tense shift), 'money is also a important factor' (article error), 'which have to take an account', and 'never stuck' instead of 'never get stuck'. Punctuation is also occasionally weak, notably in run-on sentences. These errors rarely impede communication but prevent the response from achieving a higher band. Awarding a band score of 6.0.
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