Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-11
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)
It is widely held belief that many individuals associate happiness with financial wealth. This prospective is rooted in the notion that possessing a significant amount of money enables people to procure desired possessions. However this is a narrow view, as various other elements contribute profoundly to an individual's happiness, including personal accomplishments and societal validation. This essay endeavors to elucidate the ways in which financial prosperity, recognition, and the attainment of milestones can impact a person's overall well-being.
To begin with, a considerable number of individuals prioritize financial success as their principal objective in life. This is because of the fact that people can fulfill there dreams of buying luxury items and to enjoying with family in five star restaurants. Additionally, people nowadays compare themselves with rich people and want to do competition of buying luxury cars as well as luxury houses. For instance recent survey done by oxford university showed that in India 60 percent people are thinking that money is very important to be happy. It is true money is important in life in some aspects but i personally believe that money can not buy happiness.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 188 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the essay introduces the topic and touches upon both parts of the prompt—how money brings happiness and other factors—the discussion is truncated. The second paragraph begins to explore the prompt but lacks sufficient depth and fails to provide a balanced conclusion or a full exploration of 'other things' that bring happiness. Due to the severe under-length, the task is only partially addressed, preventing a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay demonstrates a basic level of organization. There is a clear introduction and the start of a body paragraph. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'Additionally', and 'For instance', which help guide the reader. However, the progression is interrupted by the premature ending of the essay. Paragraphing is present, but the lack of a concluding paragraph or a fully developed second body paragraph makes the overall structure feel incomplete. Referencing is generally clear, though the flow is hindered by the limited development of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at more sophisticated language such as 'elucidate', 'financial prosperity', and 'societal validation'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'do competition of buying' instead of 'compete by buying' and 'It is widely held belief' (missing an article). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning, the limited length restricts the opportunity to demonstrate a wider or more precise vocabulary range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'fulfill there dreams' (incorrect homophone 'their'), 'to enjoying' (incorrect verb form), and '60 percent people are thinking' (missing 'of'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, notably missing a comma after the introductory 'However'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest a lack of control over complex structures, keeping the score in the mid-range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.