Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-13

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)

Few individuals think the best way to deal with a bad situation such as a less than ideal job or lack of funds, is to be complacent. Meanwhile, opponents disagree and have the idea that such circumstances should be improvised. Accepting a bad situation can save people from stress and psychological burden, however trying to improve unfavourable circumstances is also a more feasible approach. In this essay, I will discuss both sides and explain why I think improving these ordeals is the best way forward.

On the one hand, some people accept a bad situation or an unfavourable circumstance because they believe that trying to improve their worsening situation can lead to unwanted hypertension and mental burden. Some people find themselves in ordeals which are beyond their control, hence it is better to accept such situations rather than trying to fight them and lose mental. For example, a person going through a nationwide recession would benefit more from saving, being frugal and budgeting everything, rather than trying unforeseen and risky financial ventures and put his financial stability in jeopardy.

On the other hand, improving your bad financial situation is also the more practical approach, as accepting a job, where one is not paid enough, he feels overworked and underpaid, can lead to burnout. Humanity progresses through dissatisfaction and complacency can make humans stagnant, diminishing their self worth and losing self respect over time.

For instance, a person working a job in a toxic environment with a nagging boss, mocking colleagues and minimum wage, can become mentally unstable, leading to depression, hypertension and other issues. Such a person would be far better off looking for a new job and finding a better place to be. Complacency can be a plight which needs to be alleviated and rooted out for a better standard of life.

In conclusion, making peace with unfavourable circumstances and not fighting the ordeals can save a person from mental stress and psychological pain, It is also a plight which needs to be rooted out. I strongly believe that striving to improve unsatisfactory conditions with dedication, perseverance, commitment, sheer will and motivation is the most prevalent method, moving forward so society can grow and progress in a positive manner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both views and state a clear preference for improving unsatisfactory conditions, especially in the introduction and conclusion. The examples of budgeting during a recession and seeking a new job in a toxic workplace make the discussion relevant. This meets the task well, but the two sides are not developed equally: the acceptance argument focuses mainly on avoiding stress, while the improvement argument receives more explanation and support. Some claims, such as “Humanity progresses through dissatisfaction,” are broad and would be stronger with a clearer explanation of how individual efforts lead to progress. The conclusion also introduces the idea that acceptance is “a plight,” which conflicts with the earlier point that acceptance can protect mental well-being. Clarifying this distinction would make the position more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for each view, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. In the final paragraph, “It is also a plight which needs to be rooted out” has an uncertain reference and appears to contradict the preceding sentence about making peace with difficult circumstances. The second body paragraph also shifts from financial circumstances to workplace dissatisfaction without a transition explaining the broader link. Use pronouns and linking phrases with precise references, and make each paragraph’s central idea and supporting example connect more explicitly.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a reasonably varied vocabulary, including “unfavourable circumstances,” “financial stability,” “complacency,” and “perseverance,” which helps discuss the topic beyond basic terms. There are also attempts at less common expressions, but some are inaccurate or unnatural: “circumstances should be improvised” does not express improving them, and “lose mental” is not idiomatic. “Ordeals” is repeated where a more neutral term would fit better, while “hypertension” is an overly specific and unsupported consequence in this context. These choices do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Prefer straightforward, accurate collocations and check whether elevated vocabulary fits the meaning and tone before using it.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including subordinate clauses and contrast structures, as in “because they believe that trying to improve…” and “rather than trying to fight them.” Meaning is generally clear, but some sentence structures and punctuation need more control. In the opening sentence, the comma before “is to be complacent” separates the subject from its verb. The sentence beginning “improving your bad financial situation…” has a confusing construction: “as accepting a job… he feels overworked” does not form a clear grammatical relationship. The example ending “rather than trying unforeseen and risky financial ventures and put…” also needs parallel verb forms. Review sentence boundaries, parallel structures, and comma use; this would make your varied sentences more consistently accurate.

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