Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-25

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)

few individuals believe that it is best to accept a bad situation,such as an unsatisfactory job or lack of money.while some other people argue that it is better to try and improve situations,i partially agree with this if we face uncertainty in job or income, we stay with patience ,however we also try for improvement .

initially , some people believe that accepting the situation is best solution . because they don,t have enough time to change circumstences.for instance a person who has low salary job , they must understand the reality because they need more to support family. Accepting the situation can helps to reduce stress level .

one the other hand, other argue that it is better to try your best and changed the circumstences,if they work hard and focus on skill you may get better result For example a person who struggle in career they must learn some demanding skill which is helpful to boost earning potential ,and make better career as a result they can improve quality of life and standard of living this is the main need of some people .furthuremore they get stable financial situation.such as every person have basic need to get best life style and get better medical facility ,its all possible with good money

In conclusion, although accepting a difficult situation can reduce stress, I believe that people should try to improve their circumstances whenever possible because this can create better opportunities for the future and potential of earning which s helpful in life

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and give a personal position: you explain that accepting a difficult situation may reduce stress, while trying to improve it can lead to better opportunities. The examples about supporting a family and learning a marketable skill are relevant. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the reasons for accepting a poor job or low income are brief, and the benefits of taking action are listed rather than fully explained. Your opinion is present, but “I partially agree” is not fully reconciled with the stronger conclusion that people should improve their circumstances whenever possible. The response is 229 words, so it is 21 words below the 250-word minimum; 25 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. Develop each view and clarify your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Basic signposting such as “initially,” “on the other hand,” and “in conclusion” helps readers follow the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is uneven: the second body paragraph moves from learning skills to lifestyle and medical facilities without clearly connecting each point. Some linking phrases are inaccurate or awkward, and several ideas run together in long sentences, making relationships between claims less clear. The opening also combines the two positions and your opinion in one crowded sentence. Use clearer topic sentences, divide related points into shorter units, and explain how each example supports the paragraph’s main idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “reduce stress,” “skill,” “earning potential,” “financial situation,” and “standard of living.” These expressions show an attempt to discuss employment and money beyond very basic terms. However, the range is limited and some word choices or combinations are unnatural, such as “best solution,” “boost earning potential,” and “potential of earning.” Spelling errors, including “circumstences” and “furthuremore,” also reduce accuracy. Repetition of “better” and “situation” limits variety. Aim for more precise collocations and check spelling carefully; for example, use “improve one’s circumstances” consistently and distinguish between “income,” “salary,” and “earning potential” according to meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional idea in “if we face uncertainty in job or income” and a reason introduced by “because.” However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors in sentence boundaries and punctuation make some passages difficult to follow. For example, “Accepting the situation can helps” has an incorrect verb form, while “if they work hard and focus on skill you may get better result” shifts between pronouns and has agreement and article problems. There are also incomplete or poorly joined sentences, such as “because they don,t have enough time to change circumstances.” Practise building accurate sentences with one clear subject and verb, then connect them with appropriate punctuation and conjunctions.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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