Some people say that having more money and less free time is better than earning less money and having more free time. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
It is often arguedclaimed by many individuals that having more money but less free timegreater wealth with limited free time is preferable to having less money but more free timeless income but more leisure time. I disagree with this view becausethis notion as I believe that having more free time is essential for overall well-being and happiness, regardless of financial status.
Firstly, prioritising money over free time can have detrimental effects onlead to detrimental effects on physical and mental health. People with highly demanding jobs often experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout due to long working hours and limited relaxation time. For instance, a study conducted by the World Health Organization found that individuals who work excessively long hours are at a higher risk of developing chronic health conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and depression. Thus, while they may have greater financial resources, their overall quality of life is compromised.
Secondly, having more free time allows individuals to pursue personal interests, hobbies, and relationships, which are vital for personal growth and fulfilment. For example, someone with ample leisure time can engage in activities such as exercising, pursuing artistic interests, or spending quality timeexercise, artistic pursuits, or spending quality time with family and friends. These activities not only provide enjoyment but also contribute to a sense of purpose and a well-rounded lifewell-roundedness in life.
In conclusion, while having more money may offer financial security, it should not come at the expense of free timeat the expense of sacrificing free time. The importance of leisure time for physical and mental health, as well as personal fulfilment, cannot be overstatedunderstated. Therefore, I firmly believe that prioritising leisure over incomeprioritising free time over wealth leads to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The essay presents a consistent position, develops two relevant reasons with appropriate support, and progresses smoothly through clearly focused paragraphs. Its main limitation is that some support remains fairly general and the argument could acknowledge the financial-security side more precisely. The highest-priority refinement is to deepen the comparison by explaining why the benefits of free time outweigh the strongest practical advantage of higher income.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response directly answers the question with a clear position and two relevant, well-developed supporting arguments.
Deepen the evaluation by explicitly weighing the strongest benefit of greater income against the advantages of free time.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader effectively.
Make transitions slightly less formulaic by linking each paragraph more explicitly to the central comparison.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary range conveys the argument naturally with strong topic-specific collocations.
Add slightly more nuanced language for weighing practical trade-offs while preserving the current precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence structures is used accurately and flexibly, with errors rare and non-impeding.
Maintain this control while incorporating more varied comparative and concessive structures to sharpen evaluation.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people say that having more money and less free time is better than earning less money and having more free time. Do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.