Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-08

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)

Opinions differ on whether people should accept a bad situation or try to improve it. While some individuals contend that it is acceptable to stay in bad circumstances, such as an unsatisfactory job or having less money, I believe that people should work hard to improve their situations instead of losing hope.

A proportion of individuals believe that accepting worse circumstances is a fair option. They contend that when people work hard to achieve something and eventually fail, it leads to stress and anxiety issues. Furthermore, people start doubting their skills and personality, which in turn causes insecurity complexes in them. To avoid such situations, it is better to remain in the bad situation and live their life. For instance, when people try to look for a better job and try to make more money, they have to strive for it. Sometimes they get a job that offers a substantial salary but requires more physical and mental work. Hence, to avoid a huge workload and exhaustion, people prefer to stay in their comfort zone.

Opponents believe that people should not get stuck at one point, and they should continuously strive to achieve their best. They believe that when we accept a bad situation and do not get out of our comfort zone, it often leads to failure. Having a goal and the drive to achieve it is the driving factor of success. Additionally, people become more active and enthusiastic while working to make their situations better because they have a motive and they want to achieve it with zeal and zest. For example, when people hope to get a better job and earn more money, they work hard to achieve this, and hard work always pays off. When they become successful, they become more confident and lead a happy life.

To sum up, the advantages of trying and improving bad situations outweigh the concept of accepting a bad situation. I also believe that people should focus to improve their situations instead of accepting living in bad situations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses both perspectives and maintains a clear position: the introduction and conclusion support trying to improve difficult circumstances. Each view is explained with relevant reasoning, including the stress of unsuccessful efforts and the motivation and confidence that can come from pursuing a better job. These examples extend the discussion, although they remain fairly general and focus mainly on employment and income rather than exploring the wider implications of accepting or changing difficult circumstances. The claim that hard work “always pays off” is also too absolute and would be stronger if qualified. To develop the argument further, explain when acceptance might be a sensible choice and acknowledge that improvement is not always within a person’s control, while keeping your own position clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear, effective structure: an introduction presents the issue and your view, two body paragraphs discuss the opposing positions, and a conclusion restates your judgement. The progression within each paragraph is generally logical, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Hence,” and “Additionally” help show relationships between ideas. This organisation makes the argument easy to follow. At times, however, the links feel somewhat formulaic, and repeated references to “bad situations,” “people,” and “better job” make the progression less flexible. The example in the first body paragraph also shifts from the stress of failure to the demands of a higher-paying job without fully connecting those points. Use clearer transitions between claims and examples, and vary how you refer back to the central issue.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary and show some flexibility with expressions such as “stress and anxiety,” “substantial salary,” “workload,” and “strive to achieve.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and some less common phrases add specificity. However, several expressions are awkward or imprecise, including “insecurity complexes,” “stay in the bad situation,” and “focus to improve.” The repeated use of “bad situation,” “people,” and “better job” also limits variety. This places the vocabulary at a level where meaning is clear but collocation and precision are not consistently controlled. Aim to use more natural combinations and vary key terms—for example, refer to “difficult circumstances” or “unsatisfactory employment” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The response uses a range of sentence forms, including complex clauses with “while,” “when,” and “because,” and many sentences are accurate and easy to understand. For example, “While some individuals contend…” introduces the contrast clearly, and the sentence beginning “Additionally, people become more active…” handles a longer explanation successfully. A few grammatical issues remain. In “people should focus to improve,” the verb pattern should be “focus on improving”; in “accepting living in bad situations,” the construction is awkward and needs restructuring. There is also an extra space after “to” in “better to remain,” which is a punctuation and presentation slip. Review verb patterns and check sentence phrasing carefully to make your otherwise sound control more consistent.

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