Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-04

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)

According to some people it is considered acceptable to stay in bad situation, like an unsatisfactory job or having financial problems. This is argues by other people that people can word hard to improve their status.

The people who are in the favor of accepting bad situation as is, might be due to the harwork and efforts made by them to get an ordinary job, also due to the competition in the market. Mindset of some individuals are limited to the bare minimum they can recieve, when looking for a job. For instance if a person is working hard for several months or years, to get employed will settle for any low paying jobs or an unsatisfactory working environment. The reason behind this decision take by the individuals is the lost in faith, that there are better jobs in the market for which they can be eligible. Another reason, will be the competion with skilled workers, individuals who are ready to settle for less, feel insecure and under confident which makes them lose faith that they could do better to improve their circumstances.

Whereas, on the other hand the people who take failure or rejection as a way to motivate themselves to be competitive and find the best paying job with a encouraging environment for themselves. Like if initially a person settles for an ordinary job, they won't settle their rather they will work hard to improve their circumstances by applying for the most in-demand job.

In my opinion I agree with the latter approach, that one should work hard enough to get a job in which thfeel secure and are satisfied with their income. Since getting a better job depends on a person's confidence in themselves, which then makes them strive for it, to be praised well enough and earn more money.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both positions and state your preference clearly: “I agree with the latter approach.” The examples about accepting a low-paid job after a long search and later applying for a more in-demand role are relevant to the question. However, the discussion is uneven and the ideas remain under-developed. The reasons for accepting a bad situation—competition, insecurity and loss of faith—are mentioned, but their implications are not fully explained. The second view is also illustrated mainly through one job-related example, while the prompt includes financial hardship as well. Your opinion would be stronger if you explained why trying to improve circumstances is preferable and acknowledged any limits, such as practical responsibilities or lack of opportunities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, and a concluding opinion. This helps the reader follow the main direction of the argument. You also use linking expressions such as “For instance,” “Whereas,” and “In my opinion.” However, some transitions are mechanical or awkward, particularly “Whereas, on the other hand,” and the opening does not clearly map out the two sides. Several sentences contain multiple ideas joined together, making the progression harder to follow; for example, the sentence beginning “The people who are in the favor…” moves from effort to competition and then to mindset. Use clearer topic sentences and divide explanations into shorter, logically connected steps. Pronouns such as “they” should also refer unmistakably to the people being discussed.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “financial problems,” “competition,” “under confident,” and “improve their circumstances.” These choices allow you to express the central ideas, but the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning less natural. Examples include “word hard” for working hard, “the lost in faith,” “best paying job,” and “a encouraging environment.” Spelling errors such as “harwork,” “recieve,” and “competion” also reduce accuracy. Aim to learn vocabulary in natural phrases and check spelling carefully. More precise terms for employment and financial difficulty would help you explain both sides without repeating general words such as “job” and “better.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “if,” “which,” and “that,” so there is some variety in structure. However, complex sentences are often not controlled accurately, and errors can make relationships between ideas difficult to understand. For example, “This is argues by other people” has an incorrect verb form, while “The reason behind this decision take by the individuals is the lost in faith” has problems with clause structure and agreement. Articles and sentence construction also need attention in phrases such as “stay in bad situation” and “Since getting a better job depends…” The final sentence contains an unclear construction (“which then makes them strive for it, to be praised…”). Practise building accurate sentences first, then add subordinate clauses and check agreement, verb forms and punctuation.

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