Some people think the most important thing about being rich is that it gives an opportunity to help other people.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Some people think the most important thing about being rich is that it gives an opportunity to help other people.

Being Rich Opportunity Help Other People - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

To what extent do you agree or disagree.

Write at least 250 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 7 ยท 265 words.

Some people believe that the greatest advantage of wealth is the chance to help others. I partly agree with this view, although I think financial freedom brings other important benefits as well.

There is no doubt that wealthy people can make a real difference to society. They can fund hospitals, schools and scientific research, and they could support charities that help poor families from disadvantaged areas or people affected by natural disasters. Many large donations have built universities and provided clean water to remote villages. This shows how much good money can do when it is used generously. Wealthy individuals are also often able to take risks on new ideas, which can lead to medical breakthroughs and new jobs.

However, I do not think that helping others is the most important thing about being rich. For many people, the main advantage of wealth is security. Having enough money means they do not have to worry about rent, medical bills or losing their jobs during a difficult period. It also gives them the freedom to choose their careers, spend more time with their families and pursue their own goals. These benefits are very personal, yet they are just as valuable as the ability to give to others. A person who feels financially secure is often more relaxed and more able to think clearly about their decisions.

In conclusion, although wealth creates a great opportunity to help other people, I believe that personal security and independence are at least as important. Only when people feel safe and free can they give to others in a sustainable way.

Examiner feedback

This is a clear, well-organised Band 7 response. It addresses both sides of the question and maintains a coherent structure with relevant, reasonably developed ideas. The main factors limiting a higher band are the inconsistency between the 'partly agree' stance and the conclusion, and the general nature of some examples and vocabulary.

Task Response - 7

- Addresses the prompt directly and presents a clear position: partly agreeing, while arguing that security and independence are at least as important. - Ideas are relevant and reasonably developed, with concrete examples (hospitals, universities, clean water, medical breakthroughs) and a well-explained security argument (rent, medical bills, career choice, mental clarity). - The stated position ('I partly agree') is undercut by the conclusion, which places personal security 'at least as important' as helping others. Examples in the first body are general and could be more specific.

Coherence & Cohesion - 7

- Four clearly organised paragraphs (introduction, pro-view, counter-view, conclusion) with a logical progression. - Cohesive devices are used appropriately ('However', 'These benefits', 'This shows', 'In conclusion'), though some are somewhat formulaic. - Referencing is generally clear, but 'These benefits are very personal, yet they are just as valuable' uses 'yet' where a less contrastive link would fit the meaning better.

Lexical Resource - 7

- Good range for the topic: 'greatest advantage', 'make a real difference', 'financial freedom', 'pursue their own goals', 'sustainable way'. - Some phrases are slightly redundant or imprecise, such as 'poor families from disadvantaged areas' and 'how much good money can do', where 'good' is vague. - Collocations are mostly natural ('take risks', 'remote villages', 'feel financially secure'), with no significant spelling or word-formation errors.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 7

- Sentence structures vary well, including complex sentences, relative clauses, and an accurate inversion ('Only when people feel safe and free can they give...'). - Grammatical accuracy is high, with only minor slips and no errors that impede meaning. - Punctuation is controlled and consistent, with appropriate use of commas in lists and complex sentences.

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