The economic development plays a major role in people’s lives. Economic growth in both developed and developing countries make the country richer, but it is believed that people in developing countries are happier that those in developed ones. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
It is widely accepted that economic development plays a major role in a country’s progress. While economic growth makes nations wealthier, I agree that people in developing countries can often be happier than those in developed nations. Wealth alone does not guarantee happiness, as emotional well-being depends on several non-economic factorsseveral other factors.
In developing countries, social relationships, family bonds, and a sense of community contribute significantly to personal happiness. People tend to enjoy less materially focused lifestylessimpler lifestyles and value non-material aspects of life, such as spending time with loved ones and celebrating cultural traditions. Such factors reduce stress and create a sense of belonging, which may be less prominent in developed countries.
On the other hand, developed nations often experience greater pressure at workhigher work pressure, longer working hourslonger hours, and greater competition. Although citizens enjoy better infrastructure, healthcare, and educational opportunities, the pursuit of material success can sometimes lead to stress and dissatisfaction. Many people in these countries focus on wealth accumulation rather than emotional fulfillment, which can reduce overall happinessnegatively affect overall happiness.
In conclusion, economic development increasesimproves a country’s wealth and living standards, but it does not necessarilyautomatically make people happier. Social connections, community life, and a balanced lifestyle are equally important, if not more soequally, if not more, important. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that people in developing countries may enjoy higher levels of happiness despite having less wealthless financial wealth.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is clear, cohesive, and linguistically controlled, with a consistent position supported by relevant contrasts between community life and material pressure. Its main limitation is the short length, which leaves the arguments somewhat general and restricts the depth of support. The highest-priority improvement is to extend each body paragraph with a specific example or a fuller explanation of the claimed link to happiness.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response answers the question directly and develops two relevant lines of reasoning, but the below-minimum length limits supporting detail.
Extend both main ideas with specific examples and deeper explanation while reaching the expected minimum length.
Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing is purposeful, progression is clear, and cohesive devices connect ideas smoothly without drawing attention to themselves.
Strengthen the link between the two body paragraphs by making their comparative relationship even more explicit.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, precise, and well suited to discussing economic development, well-being, community, and material pressure.
Add greater specificity through concrete topic vocabulary when illustrating how social and workplace conditions affect happiness.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence structures is handled accurately, and errors are rare enough that communication remains consistently clear.
Maintain this control while adding more detailed examples with varied complex structures and precise punctuation.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
The economic development plays a major role in people’s lives. Economic growth in both developed and developing countries make the country richer, but it is believed that people in developing countries are happier that those in developed ones. Do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.