Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-03

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some say that the most important thing about being rich is that one has the opportunity to help others. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Some people argue that the greatest advantage of being wealthy is having the opportunity to help others. I strongely agree with this view because financial security enables people to make a me a difference among other peoples.

One major reason why wealth can be valuable is that it gives people the ability to support those who are less fortunate. Wealthy individuals can donate money to charities, fund educational programmes, provide medical assistance, or help communities affected by poverty and natural disasters. For example, a successful entrepreneur may establish a scholarship programme that allows disadvantaged students to attend university.

However, I do not believe that helping others is the only important benefit of being rich. Financial wealth can provide people with greater freedom and security in their own lives. A wealthy person is generally better able to afford high-quality healthcare, education and housing, as well as to retire comfortably. In addition, financial independence can allow individuals to pursue careers or activities that they genuinely enjoy rather than working solely to meet their basic needs. Therefore, personal wellbeing and freedom are also significant advantages of having wealth.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 185 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the essay lacks a formal conclusion and the arguments remain somewhat superficial. While you clearly state your position and provide relevant examples, such as the scholarship programme, the lack of depth and the failure to reach the required length mean the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must expand your analysis by adding more detailed explanations and a concluding paragraph that synthesizes your main points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'One major reason', 'However', and 'In addition' to transition between ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main arguments. However, because the essay is incomplete and lacks a conclusion, the overall progression feels abrupt. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are more fully developed and that you include a concluding summary to provide a sense of closure to your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'financial security', 'disadvantaged', and 'entrepreneur' correctly. There are minor spelling errors, such as 'strongely' and 'peoples' (which should be 'people'), but these do not impede communication. The vocabulary is generally functional and appropriate for the topic. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and less common lexical items to show greater precision and flexibility in your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Wealthy individuals can donate money to charities, fund educational programmes, provide medical assistance, or help communities affected by poverty and natural disasters.' While there are some minor errors, such as 'make a me a difference', the grammar is generally accurate and does not hinder understanding. To achieve a higher score, focus on increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring consistent accuracy in your sentence construction.

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

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