Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-09

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 6.0)

The history of a house or a building can hold a psychological effect in peoples minds. Before investing in something especially a house, people try to get to know all the background information about it to be wary of future troubles.

In some countries, the history of a house or building carries significant value as it can make the price of that house go up or down. People are scared of homes that have a dark past like murders or death. They believe that the spirits of those unfortunate souls can remain trapped inside the house and can haunt them after they start living inside that house. People also do not prefer homes that are in a damaged condition as it comes with expensive repairs. Alongside that, if the previous tenants of that house or building were not satisfied, it can be a red flag since the future tenants could face the same problems.

These problems are quite serious as it impacts a persons psychological and physical well-being. For example, when my family was trying to shift their home to a different place, they always asked the neighbors about the history of the place. Once we got to know that a women committed suicide inside that flat and since then irregular sounds would come from that flat. Also the water facility was not good in that building and most of the time the tenants faced a water shortage. Due to those controversial opinions my family avoided renting that flat and started looking elsewhere.

People can research the history of a house by contacting the previous tenants. They can also ask the neighbors of that house as they are already living around it. The neighbors can be the best source of information since most of the time, the sellers will not provide the accurate information and will sugarcoat everything regarding the place. Overall, to avoid any bad experience it is important to investigate the history of a house or building before someone invests their income on it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses both questions: it explains why people investigate a property’s past, including concerns about price, repairs, previous occupants and unsettling events, and it suggests asking former tenants and neighbours. The personal example about your family deciding not to rent a flat gives relevant support and helps make the reasons concrete. This meets the task well, with some elements showing the fuller development expected at a stronger level. However, the reasons are not equally clear or developed: the discussion of spirits is presented as a belief, but its connection to people’s interest in researching a building could be explained more directly. The research methods are also brief; adding practical sources such as property records or local archives would make this part more complete and specific.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: it introduces the topic, develops reasons, gives a personal example, and then explains how to research a property. Paragraphing supports this progression, and links such as “For example,” “Also,” and “Overall” help readers follow the discussion. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. “These problems” refers broadly to several different concerns, and the shift from the example back to general research advice could be smoother. The opening also mentions psychological effects and investment, but the relationship between these ideas and the following paragraph is not fully signposted. Use clearer topic sentences and more precise referencing, and vary linking expressions so that the organisation feels more naturally connected.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “background information,” “damaged condition,” “previous tenants,” “water shortage,” and “sugarcoat,” which help communicate practical and emotional concerns. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “red flag” and “controversial opinions.” Some choices are imprecise or unnatural, however: “hold a psychological effect” is not a natural collocation, “shift their home” is awkward, and “invests their income on it” does not express the intended idea accurately. “Controversial opinions” is also unclear in the context of the family’s decision. Aim for more precise collocations and a suitably formal register, while retaining the useful topic-specific vocabulary already present.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes a mix of simple and complex forms, including conditional and subordinate clauses: “if the previous tenants … were not satisfied” and “since most of the time, the sellers will not provide…” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and the example is easy to follow. Some grammatical errors remain. In “it impacts a persons psychological and physical well-being,” the possessive needs an apostrophe and the plural subject “These problems” calls for “impact.” “A women committed suicide” should be “a woman,” while “the history of a house or building carries” is inconsistent with the plural subject “a house or a building” only if intended as plural; keep subject and verb agreement clear throughout. Review possessives, articles, and singular/plural forms, and proofread punctuation around introductory phrases to improve accuracy.

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