Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-23
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)
In recent years, it is frequently debated that the only thing that can make people happy the most is having lots of money with multiple of properties while others argue that there are divers things that can make individual happier than money. I believe having a heavy account with money is very essential to human life, in the following paragraph I will explain how having money create happiness and also highlight other things apart from money brings joy.
To commence with, money is very essential to everyone living on the planet. This is because, being wealthy enhances confidence and solutions to all issues of life. For instance, a wealthy man is always in a mood because he believes he has everything one should have and be confident that he has the cash to get all that he desires.
However, apart from living in affluence, there are some things that gives people happiness. One important thing is sound health. Money without health is meaningless. I believe one's health is more valuable than affluence because a wealthy man is happy because he is sound physically and mentally. When there is cash flow but there no the owner is having health issues there would be no happiness.
In conclusion, I believe it is
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 210 words long and remains unfinished. While the essay addresses both parts of the prompt—how money brings happiness and other sources of joy—the development is severely limited. The arguments regarding money providing 'solutions to all issues' and the importance of health are introduced but lack sufficient depth or illustrative examples to fully explore the topic. Because the essay is incomplete and under-length, it does not fully address all parts of the task, resulting in a lower score for task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay shows some attempt at logical organization with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding sentence. However, the progression is interrupted by the abrupt ending. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with' and 'However', but they are somewhat mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'When there is cash flow but there no the owner is having health issues', which makes the logical flow difficult to follow. Paragraphing is present, but the overall structure is compromised by the unfinished nature of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'having a heavy account with money', 'multiple of properties', and 'divers things'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the message. The student relies on repetitive language and lacks the ability to use less common lexical items with natural control. To improve, the student should focus on more precise collocations and a wider variety of vocabulary related to the topic of wealth and well-being.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect readability. Examples include 'it is frequently debated that the only thing that can make people happy the most', 'there are some things that gives people happiness', and 'there no the owner is having health issues'. These errors in subject-verb agreement and sentence construction are noticeable and occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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