Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Bad Situations
Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 1 · Academic Writing Task 2Discuss both viewsSociety
The question presents two views on how people should respond to a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or a shortage of money: some believe it is best to accept it, while others argue it is better to try to improve it. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. 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 these views and give your own opinion. Write at least 250 words.
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How to read the question
- This is a discussion essay: you must explain both views in reasonable depth and also state your own opinion clearly, ideally in the introduction and again in the conclusion.
- The key contrast is between accepting a bad situation and trying to improve it, so focus on attitudes and personal choices, not on what governments should do.
- The two examples, an unsatisfactory job and a shortage of money, are only illustrations introduced by such as; you can use them, but you may also refer to other personal difficulties.
- Give the acceptance view a fair hearing: reasons such as limited options, the risks of rash decisions and the value of contentment make the essay balanced.
- A nuanced position works well, for example arguing that people should accept what genuinely cannot be changed but try to improve everything else.
- Avoid drifting into a general essay about unemployment or poverty; the question is about how individuals should react to their own situation.
Suggested position
Although there are times when acceptance is the wiser choice, I believe that making an effort to improve a bad situation is generally the better approach.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase the two views about responding to difficulties such as an unsatisfying job or lack of money, then state your opinion: trying to improve things is usually better, although some situations must be accepted.
- 2
Body paragraph 1: the case for acceptance
Explain why some people prefer to accept hardship: some problems cannot easily be solved, constant struggle causes stress, and rash attempts to escape, such as quitting without a plan or borrowing heavily, can make things worse. Use the example of a worker in an area with few employers.
- 3
Body paragraph 2: the case for improvement
Explain why taking action is usually better: practical steps such as retraining, asking for promotion, budgeting or finding extra income can change a person's life, action builds confidence, and individual effort benefits society.
- 4
Conclusion
Restate your view: accept what genuinely cannot be changed, but do not use acceptance as an excuse to avoid effort, because most bad jobs and money problems can be improved with planning and determination.
Ideas and arguments
- Acceptance: some situations, such as living in an area with few jobs, cannot realistically be changed in the short term.
- Acceptance: constantly fighting circumstances can cause stress, anxiety and disappointment.
- Acceptance: rash attempts to escape hardship, such as quitting a stable job or taking out high-interest loans, can make things worse.
- Acceptance: contentment and gratitude can improve wellbeing even when circumstances are difficult.
- Improvement: practical steps such as retraining, applying for promotion or changing employer can lead to a more satisfying job.
- Improvement: budgeting, cutting unnecessary spending or finding a second income can ease a shortage of money.
- Improvement: taking action builds confidence and a sense of control, while resignation can lead to frustration and low self-esteem.
- Improvement: when individuals strive to better their lives, society benefits through innovation and economic growth.
Band 8+ model answer
297 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
When people find themselves in difficult circumstances, such as a job they dislike or a lack of money, opinions differ on whether they should simply accept their situation or actively try to change it. Although there are times when acceptance is the wiser choice, I believe that making an effort to improve things is generally the better approach.
Those who favour acceptance argue that some problems cannot easily be solved, and that constantly fighting them only leads to stress and disappointment. A worker in a region with few employers, for example, may have little realistic chance of finding a better post, so learning to tolerate an unsatisfying job could protect their mental health. Moreover, impulsive attempts to escape hardship, such as resigning without a plan or borrowing heavily, can make a bad situation considerably worse.
On the other hand, many people believe that passively accepting hardship allows it to continue indefinitely. Someone who is underpaid can retrain, apply for promotion or look for work elsewhere, while a family short of money can draw up a budget or seek a second source of income. Such steps are often modest, yet over time they can transform a person's life. In addition, taking action builds confidence and a sense of control, whereas resignation tends to breed frustration and low self-esteem. Society also benefits when individuals strive to improve their lot, since this drives innovation and economic growth.
In my view, the most sensible attitude combines elements of both perspectives. People should calmly accept what genuinely lies beyond their control, but they should not use this as an excuse to avoid effort. In most cases, an unrewarding job or financial difficulty can be improved through careful planning and determination, so it is better to try than to resign oneself to dissatisfaction.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Response
- Both views are explained fully with reasons and realistic examples, and a clear, nuanced opinion is given in the introduction and developed consistently in the conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Each body paragraph deals with one view and opens with a clear topic sentence, while devices such as moreover, on the other hand and from this perspective connect ideas without overuse.
- Lexical Resource
- Precise, natural expressions such as improve their lot, beyond one's control, resign oneself to and breed frustration show a wide range of topic vocabulary and good collocation.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- The essay uses a variety of complex sentences, including conditional and concessive clauses, passive forms and relative clauses, with accurate grammar and punctuation throughout.
Useful vocabulary
- resign oneself to
- accept something unpleasant because you feel you cannot change it
- make the best of
- deal with a bad situation as well as possible
- improve one's lot
- make one's situation in life better
- financial hardship
- a situation in which someone does not have enough money
- an unfulfilling job
- work that does not give a person satisfaction
- beyond one's control
- impossible for a person to change or influence
- rash decision
- a choice made too quickly without careful thought
- retrain
- learn new skills in order to do a different job
- contentment
- a feeling of being satisfied with what you have
- a sense of control
- the feeling that you can influence what happens in your life
- proactive
- taking action to change a situation rather than waiting
- low self-esteem
- a poor opinion of one's own value or abilities
- strive to
- make a great effort to achieve something
Common mistakes
- Discussing only one view, or giving the opposing view just one sentence, which limits the Task Response score in a discussion essay.
- Forgetting to give a personal opinion, or only revealing it in the last sentence of the conclusion.
- Writing about what governments should do to reduce unemployment or poverty, which shifts the focus away from individual responses.
- Using vague, repetitive phrasing such as bad situation throughout instead of paraphrasing with words like hardship, difficult circumstances and dissatisfaction.
- Listing many ideas without developing any of them with explanations and examples.
- Giving an opinion in the introduction that contradicts the conclusion, for example agreeing with acceptance at the start and with improvement at the end.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- This question about accepting or improving a bad situation is Writing Task 2 of Test 1 in Cambridge IELTS 14 Academic, published in 2019.
- Do I have to write about both a bad job and a shortage of money?
- No. They are given as examples, so you can use one or both, or other personal difficulties, as long as your ideas stay focused on how people should respond to a bad situation.
- Can I partly agree with both views?
- Yes. A balanced opinion is acceptable as long as it is stated clearly, for example that people should accept what cannot be changed but try to improve everything else.
- How many words should I write for this Task 2?
- Write at least 250 words; around 270-310 words in four or five paragraphs is enough to develop both views and your opinion in 40 minutes.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.