Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-01

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)

It has been seen recently that the people of many countries are becoming interested in finding the history of the places where they live, like their houses or apartments. They are searching different documents related to their accommodation and also the historic records of their society where they live, like old newspapers, government resources and books, so that they can find the history of their houses and buildings.

Their are many reasons regarding this growing trend. Some people believe that, this growing habit is just their hobby and they cherish doing it. On the other hand, some residents say that, it is necessary for them to find the history of their houses, for instance, construction dates, ownership data and renting contracts, etc. Although, this is not compulsory but for some people it is important to track the history of a house to ensure safety and to check building's strength. If the building is weak, its detrimental to live there. Additionally, over the course of time, building needs restoration and renovation, which would be done on time if the official records are present.

Moreover, people also argue that old houses and buildings are part of their cultural heritage and long history. For them, these buildings are part of their ancestor's lives and need to be restored and protected.

People have numerous resources to check the history of their living places. They may check this on governmental documents, old booklets, different documentaries and internet. They can find information on Wikipedia and many other online resources like old Google Maps.

In conclusion, people are doing different researches regarding their houses due to security concerns, to collect historical data or to protect old buildings as part of their heritage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for the interest in building history and methods for research. The ideas are relevant, such as safety concerns, restoration, and cultural heritage. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the explanation of 'safety' and 'building strength' is brief and could be expanded with more specific examples or logical consequences. The methods section is also quite list-like and lacks depth. To reach a higher band, you should aim to elaborate on your points with more detailed explanations or illustrative examples rather than simply listing them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic progression of ideas from the introduction to the reasons, methods, and conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For example, the transition 'Moreover' and 'Additionally' are standard, but the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. Some referencing is slightly unclear, such as the use of 'this' to refer to broad concepts. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'cultural heritage,' 'detrimental,' and 'restoration.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'searching different documents' is less natural than 'researching' or 'consulting.' The phrase 'doing different researches' is incorrect as 'research' is an uncountable noun. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of academic collocations and using more precise terminology would significantly improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'Their are many reasons' should be 'There are,' and 'its detrimental' should be 'it is detrimental.' There are also issues with article usage and punctuation, such as unnecessary commas after 'believe that' and 'say that.' While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for minor slips would help you achieve greater accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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