Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-27
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)
Nowadays, an increasing number of people are feeling interested in seeking out the history of the house or building where they live in. There are a variety of reasons behind it and several way of searching.
One possible reasons of searching is curisity. Being curious, people search the history of their living buildings. They have a fascination of exploring unkown things. So, they try to find out the history of their houses. Security might be another possible reason. The place where people live could have some history related to crime. So, people want to make sure that their living houses are safe. People have curisity about their ancestors, which may be another reason of searching. They want to explore their old family traditions and cultural things. They feel very happy when they find somethings which carry their family traditions. For example, I have a fascination on my living house. Few years ago I saw a ancient sculpture in my house and I thought that I should research on it. Then I started my research and I found that it was made by my grand father.
There are various options to research on this. People may ask their neighbours for the history. If their neighbours have been living there for a long time, there is a strong possibilities to know the actual truth.
In addition, if there have documents related to their living house, they might get information by reading it. Besides, people can ask their relatives for the history. Because their relative could know about it. People can ask local government for support as local government keeps some records.
In conclusion, I believe that knowing the history of the houses whrere people are living is necessary. People should cooperate to seek the history.
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 researching building history and methods for doing so. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the reasons provided—curiosity, security, and ancestry—are listed rather than explored in depth. The example regarding the grandfather's sculpture is personal but lacks a clear connection to the broader societal trend mentioned in the prompt. To improve, you should expand on the 'why' behind these motivations and provide more detailed, analytical explanations for the research methods suggested. The conclusion is also quite brief and does not effectively summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive and mechanical. Phrases like 'One possible reasons of searching' and 'In addition' are used to link sentences, but the flow between ideas is sometimes abrupt. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'Because their relative could know about it,' which lacks a clear antecedent. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that transitions smoothly into the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are several instances of word-choice errors and spelling mistakes, such as 'curisity' (curiosity), 'unkown' (unknown), and 'somethings' (something). The phrasing is often simplistic, relying on basic descriptors. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary, the range is limited. To improve, focus on learning collocations related to historical research and architecture, and proofread carefully to eliminate basic spelling errors that distract from your otherwise clear communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are some attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('One possible reasons', 'there have documents'), article usage ('an ancient sculpture'), and preposition errors ('where they live in'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the text from reaching a higher band. To improve, practice constructing more complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions and ensure you check for subject-verb agreement and pluralization in your final review.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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