Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-07

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)

There are many countries in which people are becoming more curious about finding out the history of the house or building they currently reside in.

Modern architecture is very different from the past. People have become more interested in the history of buildings and houses to know how they were built. For instance, many houses or buildings from the past have been the inspiration for the present design of new houses and buildings. In Europe, most of the old houses and buildings have been through two world wars. It is testimony of how good the buildings and houses were in the past. On the other hand, the growing curiosity about knowing the roots of the house or the building you live in is the main reason.

People can research the history of houses or buildings through talking to their elders. For instance, if I want to know the history of my house, the first person I'll ask is my father or grandfather. It would be more like an interview, like what was the thought process behind building a basement. I believe the best way to research about the house or building is to ask the owner or someone who has spent his whole life in that house and building.

In conclusion, the reason for people to be curious about houses or buildings is to connect with their roots. The old architecture also inspires modern creativity and architecture. The best way to connect to the roots or acquire knowledge about why it was created the way it is to ask the people who have spent their whole lives in that house or building.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions and give relevant reasons, especially the wish to connect with a building’s roots and interest in how older architecture influenced modern design. The personal example about asking your father or grandfather also makes the research method clear. However, the reasons are not fully explained: the reference to buildings surviving two world wars does not clearly show why this makes residents curious about their own homes. Research methods are also narrow, as the response focuses almost entirely on interviewing older relatives or long-term residents. To develop the response further, explain the motivations more precisely and include other practical sources, such as property records, local archives, or historical maps. The response meets the task’s length requirement; eight words copied from the prompt were not counted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from reasons to research methods and then to a conclusion. Paragraphing helps distinguish these parts, and examples such as asking a grandfather support the relevant point. However, progression within the first body paragraph is not always clear: the discussion shifts from modern architecture to war survival and then to “the roots” without explaining how these ideas connect. The conclusion repeats the main points rather than bringing them together in a developed way. Linking phrases such as “For instance” and “On the other hand” are used, but the latter does not introduce a clear contrast. Make each paragraph follow one central idea and use transitions that show the precise relationship between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic-related vocabulary, including “modern architecture,” “inspiration,” “roots,” and “thought process,” and the meaning is generally clear. There is some repetition of “house or building,” “history,” and “curious,” which limits flexibility. A few expressions are imprecise or awkward: “It is testimony of how good the buildings and houses were” is not a natural way to describe their durability, while “research about the house” would be more idiomatic as “research the history of the house.” Aim to vary repeated terms with accurate alternatives such as “property,” “residence,” and “historical background.” More precise vocabulary for research sources and architectural features would also help you express ideas with greater specificity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, and most sentences communicate their meaning. For example, “if I want to know the history of my house, the first person I’ll ask is my father or grandfather” shows a clear conditional structure. Some grammatical errors remain, including “It is testimony of how good the buildings and houses were,” where the article and construction are problematic, and “the best way to research about the house,” where the verb pattern is incorrect. The sentence beginning “It would be more like an interview, like what was the thought process…” is also awkwardly formed as an indirect question. Practise accurate verb patterns and reported or indirect questions, and check sentence boundaries and punctuation when combining ideas.

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

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