Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-30
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 5.0)
People think money buy happiness. I think if you have lot of money also you have a great reponsibilities. In the modern would everything you want just go and buy. People thing happiness is also a product, which is in the market for selling. If we have money than just buy it, but that's not true. Happiness is not a thing, Its a feeling. The true meaning of feeling is happiness. Money is important to fulfill your daily needs of life. You buy food, car ,bike and other essentials of life. If you want a happy life than you need to focus on that things which gave you happiness. Something like car, travelling and many more give you joy, but the all things come from money its not that mean happiness come from money. Some important things give you a happy life but you don't focus on that like family, friemds, colleague, neighbours, prayers and many more. The all people in your life is truly a resource of your happy life, but that's not you attention. Everyone is running fast to get money because they thing money is everything.
My friend Ali, is also think the same. They do lot of work in the sake of getting more money. They spend all of his time in work. they don't have time for his faily and friends. One day his family dead in a road accident. They spend lot of money to save them but never happend. Than they feel the actual importance of life. They have evrything like house, car and a lot of money but they don't have the real happiness that come from his family.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
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 a happy life. The position is clear, arguing that while money fulfills basic needs, it is not the source of true happiness. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. The example of the friend, Ali, is relevant but lacks sufficient detail to fully support the argument. To improve, you should expand on the 'other things' that bring happiness, such as the psychological benefits of community or personal growth, rather than just listing them. The response covers the requirements, but the depth of analysis is limited.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into two paragraphs, but the transition between the general discussion and the personal example is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often repetitive or misused (e.g., 'The all people', 'Than they feel'). The logical progression is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the flow of ideas. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks sophisticated linking words or referencing to guide the reader smoothly through the argument. Improving the use of transition signals would significantly enhance the clarity of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and often repetitive. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'modern would' (world), 'reponsibilities' (responsibilities), and 'the all things' (all these things). The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on simple, everyday words. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of precision and the frequent spelling errors (e.g., 'friemds', 'faily') restrict the score. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to the topic, such as 'financial security', 'intrinsic value', or 'emotional well-being', and ensure correct spelling.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement ('money buy happiness', 'everyone is running fast... because they thing'), article usage, and tense consistency ('his family dead', 'never happend'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are pervasive and distract from the message. There is very little evidence of complex sentence structures. To improve, you should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including correct verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, before attempting more complex grammatical forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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