Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-09

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 6.0)

While one school of thought believes that it is best to accept an unwanted situation like an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money, the other school of thought argues that it is better to try and improve such situations. I agree with the latter statement. This essay will discuss both the views.

Accepting a bad situation and living with it could mean giving up. While this might seem easier it is more often than not a terrible loop to fall into. Staying at a place that does not motivate an individual could lead to serious health implications like depression. Someone who does not feel content with the live they are living could have a tendency to make people around them feel the same way. Coming out of this loop could be a long process which sometimes could be irreversible because of the serious implications it can leave. A shortage of money is a problem majority of the population faces. While some can achieve the first level of maslow's hierarchy most cannot reach the 2nd level. This increases social and personal problems.

There are several ways in which one can improve his condition. Firstly, individuals can introspect the things going wrong and retrospect about what could have been done in order to not make the same mistake twice. Instead of accepting the bad situation one could evaluate alternatives that could mend the situation. In circumstances where people are involved, a person should ensure they confront them and talk to an expert to seek help. A conversation with someone who has been through a similar situation can give intrensic motivation and the ability to be optimistic.

To recapitulate, I believe that one should try to improve a situation rather than accepting it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you favour trying to improve difficult circumstances, and you discuss both accepting a bad situation and taking steps to change it. The discussion of acceptance includes relevant consequences, such as reduced motivation and possible effects on health, while the second main paragraph offers practical responses. However, the two views are not explored equally: the case for accepting a situation is mainly presented as harmful, with little explanation of why someone might reasonably choose acceptance, such as limited options or the need for stability. Some points, including the reference to Maslow’s hierarchy, are not clearly connected to the argument. Develop the opposing view fairly and explain your examples more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two approaches, and a concluding statement that restates your opinion. This makes the main direction easy to follow. You also use signposts such as “Firstly,” “While,” and “To recapitulate.” At times, however, the progression within paragraphs is less secure. The discussion moves from motivation and depression to the effects on other people, then to Maslow’s hierarchy, without clearly showing how each point supports the central claim. Phrases such as “the first level” and “the 2nd level” are not explained for readers. Use clearer links between claims and examples, and make references such as “this” or “the situation” more specific.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary and show some flexibility with expressions such as “unsatisfactory job,” “health implications,” “introspect,” and “evaluate alternatives.” These choices help you discuss both personal and practical aspects of the issue, and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at less common or academic language, including “Maslow’s hierarchy” and “irreversible,” though some choices are inaccurate or awkward: “intrensic motivation” appears to mean “intrinsic motivation,” and “retrospect about what could have been done” is not a natural collocation. “The live they are living” also weakens precision. To move further, prioritise accurate, natural collocations and explain specialist terms rather than relying on them without context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses such as “While this might seem easier…” and “because of the serious implications…”. Most sentences communicate their meaning, and punctuation generally supports readability. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “the live they are living,” the noun should be “life”; “a problem majority of the population faces” needs an article before “majority”; and “one can improve his condition” shifts from the general “one” to a gendered pronoun. The sentence beginning “While this might seem easier” also needs a comma after the introductory clause. Review articles, pronoun consistency, and punctuation around introductory clauses, while continuing to practise varied sentence structures.

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