Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-14

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 5.5)

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. I believe that accepting a bad situation is all about perspective. One might complain about an unsatisfactory job, while that could be someone else's dream job. You can only learn to accept a bad situation if you put your self in someone else's shoes. Someone who might not have the blessings that you have or the oppurtunities that you possess. This way of thinking can really help us to accept a bad situation. Major issues like shortage of money can be harder to accept because they can point towards a lack of skill or talent. That can truly affect a person's confidence and make it harder for them to accept their situation.

On the other hand, we can also argue that we should always try to improve our situations and better ourselves. We should try to look at the situation from a different angle and maneuver through life accordingly. It should be our utmost priority to get ourselves out of the difficult times and work to make our situation better. Wallowing in self pity and accepting a bad situation will never give us the motivation to change it.

In conclusion, both mindsets are dependant on the person and their situation but what matters is that they have clarity on their situation and their abilities. That is the only way forward.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You discuss both accepting difficult circumstances and trying to improve them, and your view—that acceptance depends on perspective—is identifiable. The comparison between an unsatisfactory job and someone else’s “dream job” is relevant, while the point that self-pity may reduce motivation supports the second view. However, the discussion is brief and several claims are asserted rather than explained: for example, the link between financial hardship and “a lack of skill or talent” is not clarified or balanced. Your conclusion says the right approach depends on the person and situation, but does not fully resolve which view you favour. The response is 220 words, below the 250-word minimum; 33 words copied from the prompt were not counted. Develop each view with a specific example and explain your position more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: the opening introduces the issue and your perspective, the next paragraph presents the case for change, and “In conclusion” signals a final summary. “On the other hand” also clearly marks the shift between views. However, the first paragraph combines your position with much of the acceptance argument, so the two sides are not balanced as clearly as they could be. Some links are mechanical, and the reference in “Someone who might not have the blessings that you have” is a sentence fragment whose connection to the preceding idea is not fully explicit. Organise the essay into distinct paragraphs for each view, then add a separate conclusion. Use linking phrases selectively and make references such as “this situation” or “this perspective” precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a generally understandable range of vocabulary, including phrases such as “dream job,” “different angle,” “utmost priority,” and “motivation to change.” These help communicate the main ideas, but the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or informal for an academic essay. “Lack of skill or talent” makes a broad, unsupported judgement about people experiencing financial hardship, while “maneuver through life accordingly” is vague in this context. There are also spelling errors in “oppurtunities” and “dependant,” and “self pity” should be written as “self-pity.” Aim for more precise language about causes and responses to hardship, and check spelling carefully. More varied, accurate collocations would make the discussion clearer and more convincing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including the conditional construction “One might complain … while that could be someone else’s dream job” and the clause “because they can point towards…”. Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical choices reduce control. “Someone who might not have the blessings that you have or the opportunities that you possess” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence; connect it to the previous sentence. In “accepting a bad situation is all about perspective,” the broad claim would benefit from more controlled qualification, and “both mindsets are … on the person” needs a clearer grammatical construction, such as “depend on the person.” Practise combining ideas into complete sentences and varying clause structures while checking agreement and sentence boundaries.

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