Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-11
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In some countries, more and more people are becoming interested in finding out about the history of the house or building they live in.
What are the reasons for this?
How can people research this?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
In several countries, the majority of individuals are becoming interested in gaining information about the history of the accommodation or building where they live. In this essay, I will discuss the reasons and how people can research the homes or buildings they live in.
On the one hand, the first reason is that the history of the residence they live in people want to know that personal questions related to this home. For example, individuals want to know how old this house is. Another reason is that if the building is too old. An old building increases curiosity to collect more information. For instance, they want to know how many years it took to build this building. Also, they want to know about the king and his democracy.
For instance, people want to know the cultural value. Someone living in an old house may want to know whether it was previously owned by an important person or had a special purpose.
On the other hand, people study on Google to find the address or building name. For example, worldwide information is available on the internet, such as Google Maps. Another way to research a home is through old records. People can find previous information on the property records and neighbors. Collecting information enhances confidence and a peaceful lifestyle in this area.
In conclusion, people may research the history of their homes because of curiosity and historical interest. They can investigate this by using online sources, official records, and information from previous residents or local communities.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for interest in building history and methods for research. However, the development of ideas is limited. The reasons provided, such as 'how old this house is' or 'the king and his democracy', are somewhat superficial and lack depth or logical connection. The explanation of research methods is also quite basic. To improve, you should expand on your points with more detailed examples or logical reasoning. For instance, instead of just mentioning 'old records', you could explain how archives or local libraries provide specific insights into architectural heritage or previous ownership, which would better demonstrate a full development of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the internal flow within paragraphs is sometimes disjointed. For example, the transition between the idea of 'the king and his democracy' and 'cultural value' is abrupt. Additionally, some sentences are repetitive or lack clear logical links, such as the sentence 'An old building increases curiosity to collect more information.' Improving the use of referencing and linking words within paragraphs would enhance the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'want to know' and 'information'. There are some attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as 'cultural value' and 'property records', but these are infrequent. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific terminology related to history, architecture, and research methodologies. Avoid repeating the same basic verbs and nouns throughout the essay to demonstrate a broader lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the clarity of your message. For instance, 'the history of the residence they live in people want to know that personal questions related to this home' is syntactically confused. Another example is 'if the building is too old. An old building increases...', where the first part is a sentence fragment. You should focus on ensuring that your sentences are complete and that subject-verb agreement and word order are accurate. Reducing these frequent errors will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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