Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-30

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 6.5)

Opinions vary on whether one should play the card one is dealt with, or the constant effort should be made to improve the circumstances and have a better trajectory of life. It can be argued that it is the struggle and hardwork that can make one achieve something that mere acceptance of circumstances would not.

Firstly, the notion that being contented with a difficult situation is cowardice, cannot be agreed upon. Circumstances may leave the option of pursuit of betterment invalid at some instance in the trajectory of life. Not having a father, for example, might leave the eldest child with no other option than to drop out from school and do labor despite having the grit and ambition for studies. It is, therefore, imperative to say that some situations in our lives require acceptance of the harsh reality of life.

It is, however, not true in most cases where people choose the safer path just for the sake of convenience or the secure outcome it guarantees. Ultimately, it is our perseverance that leads us to our goals that seem unachievable at first. Elon Musk, for example, put his greatest assets on stakes, which bore the fruit of his efforts at the end. Those who do not accept the percieved reality and try hard to change it are the only ones can bring about a change.

In conclusion, while the situations and ground realities matter a lot, it is the denial of the circumstances and the persistance to change it, that can actually make a difference. In my opinion, one should be courageous enough to take a leap of faith instead of being persuaded by so called ground realities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—that of accepting difficult situations and that of striving to improve them—while clearly stating a personal opinion. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and well-supported, such as the use of the example of the eldest child dropping out of school to illustrate acceptance, and Elon Musk's perseverance to illustrate striving for change. While the arguments are generally well-developed, some points could have been pushed slightly further to reach the highest standard, placing this comfortably in the Band 7 category for fully addressing all components with a clear stance and relevant examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction to the discussion of acceptance, then the counter-argument regarding perseverance, and finally a succinct conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively, including transition markers like 'Firstly', 'It is, however, not true', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, and referencing throughout the text is clear. Although some connectors are slightly standard, the overall arrangement is coherent, logical, and easy to follow, justifying a strong Band 7 score for cohesion and structural flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, incorporating less common lexical items such as 'trajectory', 'perseverance', 'unachievable', and 'ground realities'. There is an awareness of style and collocation, although a few minor awkward formulations appear, such as 'put his greatest assets on stakes' instead of 'at stake', and 'so called ground realities'. However, these minor errors do not impede communication. The vocabulary deployed is adequate for discussing abstract concepts like ambition, convenience, and hardship, making a Band 7 appropriate for this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, showing good control overall. Examples of complex structures include 'It can be argued that it is the struggle and hardwork that can make one achieve something...' and 'Those who do not accept the percieved reality and try hard to change it are the only ones can bring about a change' (which contains a minor omission of 'who'). There are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'hardwork' as one word, missing articles, and a spelling error ('percieved'). Nevertheless, frequent error-free sentences are present, and punctuation is handled well, ensuring that meaning is never obscured. This earns a solid Band 6.5 or 7, leaning toward a 6.5 due to the minor structural slips.

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