Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-07
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)
Different individuals have different prospective related to money, some say the more money you have more beautiful the life is. Whereas other think in opposite way. According to them not just money but there are many other things that can lead to a happier life. I personally think money really matters if you want to lead a good life.
In todays world anything you want ,the only way to get it is money. The amount of money you have decides the life you going to live. If you are earning good only than you would be able to provide yourself and your family a good life. You would be able to provide them with all luxury that is needed to lead a better life than others. Additionally having a good bank balance help you to enjoy your life as you can spend more time with your family, take them for vacation, get them good clothes , more healthy food and all best of best things they need. However you are considered a good parent only if you are able to fulfill all the demand of your family rather than just the necessities.
Talking about other stuff that leads to happier life is the people living around you. Your circle creates a big impact on your day to day life. If the people around you are positive and successful in life that helps you to learn a lot of things from them
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the role of money and other factors like social circles. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The arguments regarding money are repetitive, focusing primarily on material possessions, and the second body paragraph is abruptly cut off, leaving the discussion on social influence underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, you must ensure all points are fully extended with specific examples and maintain a consistent length that meets the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete nature of the final paragraph. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Whereas', 'Additionally', 'However'), the flow is sometimes mechanical. The transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is abrupt. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are linked more fluidly. The lack of a concluding paragraph also prevents the essay from having a clear, logical structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'good life', 'all best of best things', and 'other stuff'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'prospective' instead of 'perspectives'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to happiness and socioeconomic status. Avoid repetitive, informal language to demonstrate a more academic tone.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'Whereas other think in opposite way' (missing articles/pluralisation), 'If you are earning good only than' (incorrect usage of 'than' for 'then'), and 'having a good bank balance help' (subject-verb agreement). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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