Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-14
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)
Many people think way to be happy in life is have a bunch of funds. In my opinion having a lot of money make us happy but however, their is many other things as well help people glad.i will discuss both with relevant example.
Money can make people happier by providing financial support. when people has enough money to buy shelter, cloth, food its come with security. they don't have to worry about these think they can enjoy their life without any budden .although it help to make good relationship with your family so they can live stress free . for example 40 year men he has enough money to spend life and he provide everything to their family without going everyday job that time he is spending with family other side another 40 yr people who is doing 7-7 job but he dont have saving if he sick for 1 month he is not getting any money from work he will be more frustrated thinking about food or paying rent .
However, other things in life can make people happy is friends , good health also helping poor people make us happy. for example if anyone has good social circle and you can share anything with your friends which help to stress free or they can guide you for best things to do , secondly if you have that kind of person you love to help poor person make you happy.
In conclusion, money is useful for life happy but its not only way to make you happy their its alot of things which help to make happy life .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: how money contributes to happiness and other factors that lead to fulfillment. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. The example comparing the 40-year-old men is relevant but lacks clarity due to grammatical issues, making the argument feel slightly underdeveloped. The position is clear, but the explanation of 'why' money or other factors lead to happiness remains at a superficial level. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your points with more sophisticated reasoning rather than relying on simple descriptions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate (e.g., 'but however', 'other side another'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the transition between the two scenarios is abrupt. While there is an overall progression, the lack of smooth transitions and the repetitive nature of some linking phrases (e.g., 'for example', 'secondly') indicate a need for a more varied range of cohesive tools to connect ideas more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'bunch of funds', 'good', and 'things'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'help people glad' instead of 'make people happy' or 'without any budden' (burden). While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of variety and the presence of errors in word formation prevent the response from reaching a higher score. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic or precise synonyms would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('people has', 'money make'), missing articles, and incorrect tense usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. These errors are frequent and occasionally cause the reader to pause, although they do not completely impede communication. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like pluralization and verb endings.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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