Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-02

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 7.0)

It is often argued that it is perfect to accept a difficult situation or actively try to change it. While acceptance can bring peace of mind, I believe that striving for improvment is generally the better approach.

On one side, accepting a bad sitution has certain advantages. Acceptance reduces stress and helps people maintain mental stability,especially when the situation is beyond their control. For example, if someone is in a low-paying job during an economic recession, constantly fighting, it may lead to frustation and anxiety. By accepting their circumstances, at least temporarily, they can focus on what they lack.

On the other side, trying to improve adverse conditions is essential for personal growth and progress. Human advancement has always been driven by dissatisfaction with the status quo. If individuals simply accept an unsatisfactory job, they may remain trapped in mediocrity. For instance, a person who is unhappy with his salary can learn new skills, apply for better positions or start a side business, which could significantly improve his life. Moreover, the effort to overcome difficulties builds confidence, problem-solving skills and independence, which acceptance alone cannot provide.

In my opinion, although accepatane is useful for unavoidable problems like illness or old age, most everyday diffculties such as carrier dissatisfaction or financial problems should be challenged. The key is to distinguish between what can be changed and what cannot. Rather than passively enduring a bad job, it is more productive to take practical steps to improve it.

In conclusion, while accepting a bad situation can some times offer emotional comfort, I think that making an effort to improve such situation leads to greater fulfillment and success and in the long run.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—acceptance and active improvement—and provides a clear position throughout. The introduction establishes the stance that striving for improvement is better, and this is maintained until the conclusion. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of a low-paying job during an economic recession or an unhappy employee learning new skills. However, some arguments exhibit a slight tendency to over-generalise or remain slightly under-developed, particularly when explaining the emotional aspects of acceptance in the second paragraph, preventing the response from reaching the highest band. Nevertheless, the main tenets of the prompt are thoroughly covered and the overall task requirements are met with a well-defined personal perspective.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

There is a clear logical organisation and progression throughout the essay. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction to the advantages of acceptance, then to the benefits of improvement, followed by a nuanced conclusion that differentiates between changeable and unchangeable situations. Cohesive devices such as 'On one side', 'On the other side', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' are used flexibly to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, and referencing is generally clear and consistent. To achieve an even higher band, paragraph transitions could be slightly more subtle and integrated, as some cohesive markers currently follow a somewhat formulaic structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision, attempting less common items with general success. Phrases such as 'status quo', 'trapped in mediocrity', and 'personal growth and progress' demonstrate a commendable range. However, there are occasional lexical and spelling errors that prevent a higher rating, including typos like 'improvment', 'sitution', 'frustation', 'accepatane', 'diffculties', and 'carrier' instead of 'career'. While these errors do not impede communication, they highlight a lack of rigorous proofreading which limits the score to this band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentence forms, with frequent error-free sentences demonstrating good overall control of grammar and punctuation. Examples of successful complex structures include conditional clauses and participial phrases, such as 'For instance, a person who is unhappy with his salary can learn new skills...' Good command of punctuation and sentence boundaries is evident. However, a few grammatical errors persist throughout the text, such as minor prepositional slips and punctuation omissions around introductory clauses (e.g., missing commas after transitional phrases like 'In conclusion'). These persistent minor errors reflect a solid performance at this level.

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