Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-17
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 5.0)
In certain countries, more and more people are becoming intrigued by the history of their homes or buildings. There are numerous reasons why people are interested in finding out. Two of the various reasons are that some people want to make sure that their house's past owners weren't criminals or dangerous individuals, whereas the other reason is that some individuals are just interested in learning about their house's history. People can research this by running background checks on the previous owners and searching online historical databases.
The main reasons why some people are interested in learning about the history of their house is that they want to make sure that their house's previous owners weren't criminals or dangerous people and also learning about their house's history. Individuals are interested in this because they want to assure that their house isn't filled with some hidden illegal substances or weapons. For instance, if the past owners were mafia members and they were escaping from the authorities and had no time to pick up certain illegal items; they might have hidden some of it in the house walls or other spots. As a result, by knowing that the house was previously owned by dangerous individuals, residents can inform law enforcement to do a search in the house.
One effective way to research the history of a house is by
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is incomplete, as it cuts off mid-sentence in the second paragraph and fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words. While the introduction identifies two reasons, the development of these ideas is repetitive and lacks depth. The focus on 'mafia members' and 'hidden weapons' is quite narrow and speculative, failing to address the broader cultural or historical curiosity that usually drives this trend. Because the essay is unfinished and significantly under-length, it fails to fully address all parts of the task, resulting in a low score for task response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay shows a basic attempt at paragraphing, but the abrupt ending severely disrupts the logical flow. Cohesive devices are used in a mechanical and repetitive way, such as the repeated use of 'the other reason is' and 'the main reasons why'. The progression of ideas is hindered by the lack of a conclusion and the incomplete nature of the final paragraph. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is simplistic. To improve, you should focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph is fully developed before moving to the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band score. There is noticeable repetition of phrases such as 'history of their house' and 'previous owners'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'running background checks' in the context of historical research, which sounds more like a criminal investigation than an architectural or historical inquiry. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary related to history, architecture, and research methods, and avoid repeating the same phrases throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, the sentence 'The main reasons why some people are interested in learning about the history of their house is that...' contains a subject-verb agreement error (reasons... is). Additionally, the use of semicolons and commas is sometimes incorrect, such as in the sentence mentioning 'illegal items; they might have hidden...'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors, combined with the incomplete nature of the text, limits the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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