Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that old buildings, such as town halls and art galleries, should be restored, even though this can be costly. Others argue that governments should replace them with new, modern buildings.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 7.5)

The expansion of infrastructure by replacing the historical buildings with new and modern buildings have become an ongoing debate in recent times. It is argued by some people that the old town halls and art museums should be restored irrespective of the cost while others believe that the authorities should replace them with the new structures. While constructing new buildings can be cost effective and functional efficient, I strongly believe that restoring the museums and historic architecture are crucial to preserve the culture and heritage of the nation.

On one hand, restoring historic structures from demolition is to help understand the importance of the country for the next coming generations. Maintaining such is costlier, but the significance of the construction will not only be available in books to study, and also become a place to experience. Furthermore, these preservations can encourage tourists to travel from different nations. For example, Taj Mahal is one of the greatest monuments in seven wonders that was built by the king Qutub Shah as a symbol of love towards his wife. The authorities are investing huge amounts of funds to retain its original features from destruction, so that more tourists are attracted. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve the historic buildings.

On the other hand, constructing modern infrastructure can benefit the citizens of the country with the availability of various amenities in the neighborhood. For instance, building malls or commercial buildings can cater different age groups to gather as a family and enjoy shopping, playing games and spending quality time together. Moreover, creating new buildings can provide housing for the rising population in the country. However, the heritage of the country will vanish and coming generations are unaware of their country’s history of emerging and developing through the decades. Henceforth, modern buildings should not replace the historic monuments.

To conclude, although building modern infrastructure has its own advantages, restoring old art galleries, museums and town halls are crucial to preserve the country’s heritage.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.5
Coherence and Cohesion7.5
Lexical Resource7.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy7.0
Overall7.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The position is consistent throughout the essay. Ideas are generally well-developed, although the example of the Taj Mahal is factually inaccurate (it was built by Shah Jahan, not Qutub Shah). While the argument for restoration is stronger, the counter-argument regarding modern infrastructure is also relevant. To reach a higher band, ensure that examples are factually accurate and provide slightly more depth in the analysis of the economic trade-offs between restoration and new construction.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'To conclude' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is appropriate, with each paragraph focusing on a central theme. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of referencing and substitution to avoid repetitive phrasing. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'infrastructure', 'heritage', and 'amenities'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'functional efficient' (should be 'functionally efficient') and 'the importance of the country' (which is vague). The range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but to achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated, less common lexical items and demonstrate more precise control over word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement in the first sentence ('The expansion... have become' should be 'has become') and minor phrasing issues like 'restoring the museums... are crucial' (should be 'is crucial'). Punctuation is generally correct, and these errors do not impede communication. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the use of articles and prepositions. A wider variety of complex sentence structures would also help elevate the score.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.