Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-18
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)
History has always been fascinating to majority of people as it gives us the knowledge of the past, the ancestors and the way they lived. In some countries, many people are attracted towards finding out the history of the house or the buildings they live in. There can be several reasons for this including their interest towards the facts of the house.
Firstly, the reason that the people are becoming interested in finding out about the history of the house they live in can be curiosity. They want to find out what is the past of the building, how it was built, what was the idea behind the construction of it and much more. For example, some individuals want to know about the history for religious reasons, as they believe that the land where the building is being constructed should not have any negative or paranormal presence. Also, it should not have any legal dispute or incorrect ownership.
Adding more to the above scenario, People can research this by having connections with the builders or the landowners. There are several families that are living in the building from the time it was getting constructed and the elderly members might have the knowledge regarding the history of the house or the building they live in. Asking our forefathers regarding the history could be considered as an example here.
In Conclusion, it is clear that there can be many reasons why people want to gain knowledge regarding the history of houses or buildings, also, how people could research this and find out.
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: reasons for interest in building history and methods for research. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you mention curiosity and religious concerns, these points are not fully explored or supported with detailed examples. The section on research methods is also quite brief, relying on general statements about 'connections with builders' rather than providing a more comprehensive or analytical approach. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your ideas with more specific, illustrative examples and ensure that the depth of your analysis is consistent throughout the essay.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Adding more to the above scenario', and 'In Conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences can feel a bit mechanical, and some transitions are slightly awkward, such as 'Adding more to the above scenario'. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure could benefit from more sophisticated linking words to create a smoother, more natural flow between your arguments and supporting details.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your ideas clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'paranormal presence', 'legal dispute', and 'construction'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing. There are also minor issues with collocation, such as 'finding out about the history of the house' (which is acceptable but could be more precise) and 'having connections with the builders'. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'fascinating to majority of people' (missing article 'the'), 'what is the past of the building' (incorrect word order for an embedded question), and 'from the time it was getting constructed' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally correct, but the frequency of these minor grammatical slips prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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