Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-16

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 7.0)

In this modern era, money has become an indispensable part of every individual's life. It has been suggested that main is the main source of happiness in life. However, along with money, there are many other things that can provide happiness.

One one hand, money can help individuals to satisfy the basic needs of life like food, housing, medicine and education without any hardships. It gives them the sense of comfort towards life. Apart from this, wealth provides the individuals with the independence to make their life decision without thinking about financial constraints. For example, if someone wants to become a doctor which costs a fortune, having enough money would allow them to follow their dream without any hesitations. Moreover, money can allow people to enjoy adventurous experiences since people with enough money can go for vacations to any part of the world and dine-in fancy restaurants enjoying luxurious facilities.

On the other hand, money alone cannot satisfy all the needs of a person. Being social animals, humans need companions to survive in the world. At different stages of life, people need their family, friends and loved ones to share their success stories and other milestones. Whereas, having good health is the key requirement to enjoy life. One cannot enjoy any happiness in life if their mind or body are in any kind of stress. Furthermore, sometimes the beauty of nature provide a sense of calmness and joy when we sit alone and admire the vast creations of nature.

In conclusion, although money can make a person happy by providing comfort and financial independence, other things such as having family and loved ones, good health can also be causes of happiness in an individual's life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly explain how money contributes to happiness through financial security and independence, and you provide relevant alternatives such as social connections, health, and nature. The ideas are well-developed and supported with logical examples, such as the cost of medical education. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, ensure that your introduction provides a more explicit thesis statement that outlines the structure of your argument, and consider deepening the analysis of the 'other things' paragraph to match the level of detail provided in the first body paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'Apart from this', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand' to transition between points effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. However, there are minor issues with referencing and flow, such as the repetitive 'One one hand' at the start of the second paragraph. To improve, focus on using a wider range of cohesive devices and ensure that referencing is always precise to avoid minor mechanical errors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas with precision. Phrases like 'indispensable part', 'financial constraints', and 'milestones' are used effectively. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'main is the main source' (a typo) and 'dine-in fancy restaurants' (collocation error). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited for a higher band. To improve, focus on more sophisticated collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. Ensure you proofread for small slips that could detract from the overall professional tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy communication. However, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'the beauty of nature provide' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'the main way to be happy in life is to have a lot of money' (the prompt phrasing is repeated). To reach a higher band, increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and ensure strict adherence to subject-verb agreement rules throughout the text.

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

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