Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-02

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 individuals think that it is ok to come to terms with a bad situation like an unsatisfactory job or lack of money, while there are others who believe that people should work harder to improve such situations. Although both statements have merits, I would lean towards the idea of changing your circumstances through trying to improve your situation.

On one hand, there are people who have given up in life, and they believe it is what it is. They don't think about improving their life. They sit there and accept all the consequences, as they have given up the hope. For instance, many students give up on their dreams when they fail, as they start believing that they might not be able to achieve their dreams. They just give in and accept the bad situation. There are some who do not have enough money to start a business, and they will end up giving up on their dream due to insufficient money to finance their business idea.

On the other hand, we have people who do not give up but rather try to change their circumstances through hard work. They do not stop and start blaming their bad situation. On the contrary, they keep moving forward; they keep working hard, while knowing that tables do turn. For instance, there is an anime named Black Clover; the main protagonist is someone without magic in the world of magic. However, he worked hard all his life, believing that the situation would turn if he worked hard enough. One day he gets the power of anti-magic, but the swords are too heavy for anyone else to lift them, yet not for him, as he has trained his body all those years.

I believe that it is not your fault if the surrounding circumstances are bad. It would be if you ended up dying without changing that situation because you gave up hope and lived in despair because I've seen people changing their circumstances through hard work like my brothers did.

In conclusion, many people give up on trying to change their circumstances after a failure or two, whereas there are others who decide to go against those circumstances in the hope of changing them and, subsequently, changing them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and state a clear preference for trying to improve difficult circumstances, particularly in the introduction and personal conclusion. The examples of students who abandon their ambitions and people who persist despite hardship are relevant. However, the first view is presented mainly as people “giving up,” rather than explaining when accepting a situation might be sensible or necessary. The Black Clover example is detailed, but its connection to real-life circumstances is not fully explained, and the final reference to your brothers is not developed. To strengthen the response, explain the reasoning behind each view more evenly and show how each example supports your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, your opinion, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “On one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” helps readers follow the discussion. However, some connections are repetitive or mechanical, especially the repeated ideas of not giving up and changing circumstances. The conclusion largely restates the contrast without adding a clear final reason for your position. In the second body paragraph, the long anime example takes up much of the discussion, so the link back to the general issue could be clearer. Use referencing and transitions more selectively, and make each paragraph progress from claim to explanation to evidence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of relevant expressions, including “come to terms with,” “insufficient money,” “circumstances,” and “despair,” which help communicate the topic. There are also attempts at more vivid phrasing, such as “tables do turn.” However, vocabulary is sometimes repetitive, particularly “give up,” “situation,” and “work hard,” and some choices are informal or imprecise for an academic essay, such as “it is what it is” and “sit there.” The phrase “changing them” at the end is also repetitive and unclear. Aim for more precise alternatives that distinguish accepting circumstances from taking practical steps to improve them, while maintaining a consistently formal tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although both statements have merits” and a relative clause in “someone without magic in the world of magic.” Most sentences communicate their meaning, but some structures are awkward or difficult to follow. For example, “It would be if you ended up dying without changing that situation” has an unclear grammatical reference, and the sentence beginning “One day he gets the power” shifts into the present tense within a past-tense narrative. The final sentence also repeats “changing” in a way that weakens its structure. Review tense consistency in examples and make pronoun references explicit; these changes would improve accuracy while preserving your varied sentence forms.

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