Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-28

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say the main way to be happy in life is to have a lot of money. How might having a lot of money make people happy? What other things in life can make people happy?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

It is often argued that having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life. This essay will discuss.

There are several reasons why having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life Firstly, having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life. This helps because having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life. For example, having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life. Therefore, having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life.

Besides this, there are many other factors that can make people happy. One important factor is having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life Another factor is having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life. For instance, having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life. As a result, having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life

Conclusion

In conclusion, although having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life true happiness also depends on having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life and having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life.

AI examiner evaluation

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

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to address the prompt meaningfully. The content is almost entirely composed of the repetitive phrase 'having a lot of money is the main way to be happy in life,' which does not provide any actual reasons or examples to support the argument. Furthermore, the essay does not meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, falling short at 237 words. Because the ideas are not developed and the prompt is not answered with relevant content, the response is severely limited in its ability to address the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay lacks logical progression and coherence. While there are attempts at paragraphing, the internal structure of each paragraph is non-existent due to the extreme repetition of the same sentence. There is no logical flow of ideas, and the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and redundant. The text does not function as a coherent piece of writing because it fails to connect ideas in a meaningful way.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is extremely limited and repetitive. The student uses the same phrase throughout the entire essay, demonstrating no range or ability to use vocabulary to convey different ideas or nuances. There is no attempt to use less common lexical items or to vary the language to suit the topic. This lack of variety makes the essay monotonous and prevents the demonstration of any lexical skill.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammatical range is non-existent as the student repeats the same simple sentence structure throughout the entire response. While the individual sentence itself is grammatically functional, the lack of variety in sentence structure and the total absence of complex sentences prevent a higher score. The response does not demonstrate the ability to use a range of grammatical structures, which is a fundamental requirement for higher bands.

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