Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-12

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 6.5)

It is often argued that the best way to be happy in life is to have a significant amount of money. Money is a fundamental necessity of life, it is regarded as the main purpose to a comfortable lifestyle. However, having strong and enduring relationships with family and friends also contributes to overall happiness.

One of the main reasons why a number of individuals believe that money is the crucial aspect that results in happiness. This is largely because financial security prepares them to face challenges in the future without stress. To illustrate, in the USA, a large number of working professionals save a part of their salary to purchase luxury items such as a car and a house. This appears to be because saving money can directly affect their peace and comfort in the future. Although having a substantial amount of money can lead to happiness, it cannot completely replace the purpose and quality of living. As a result, it is extremely important to consider money when it comes to happiness.

Another contributing factor that lead to happiness are meaningful relationships with family and peers. A key reason is that having a stable life with a huge amount of money is not the only thing to be happy. Individuals tend to become happy when they feel supported and valued by their family members and friends. For instance, in India, a large number of individuals believe in long-term family commitments, which in turn, makes them content and motivated. This support and these relationships lead to relaxed and a more meaningful life. If relationships are built on trust and loyalty, they are more likely to contribute to a prosperous life. Consequently, a healthy relationship with families and friends make a life more worthwhile.

In conclusion, even though a number of individuals consider happiness with a considerable sum of money, it should not be the only thing to be happy. Certain factors such as relationships with family and friends also play a pivotal role for being happy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, examining both how money might bring happiness through financial security and exploring alternative sources of happiness such as family and friends. The position is clear throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as mentioning savings habits in the USA and family commitments in India. Although some of the reasoning is slightly repetitive, the main elements of the task are well covered, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from an introduction to the role of money, then to the importance of relationships, and concluding appropriately. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'To illustrate', 'Although', and 'Another contributing factor', though some phrasing feels a bit formulaic. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, resulting in a coherent overall structure that aligns well with the descriptors for Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task with some attempts at less common items, such as 'financial security', 'substantial amount', and 'pivotal role'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, for example, saying 'factor that lead to happiness' instead of 'factors that lead', and 'for being happy' instead of 'to being happy'. Despite these occasional errors, the vocabulary is sufficient for flexibility and precision, supporting a Band 6.5 rating.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and relative clauses like 'If relationships are built on trust and loyalty, they are more likely to contribute to a prosperous life.' There are some grammatical errors, such as 'Another contributing factor that lead' (subject-verb agreement) and 'relaxed and a more meaningful life' (parallelism issue). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the majority of sentences are understandable, fitting comfortably within the Band 6.5 descriptor.

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

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