Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-04

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 5.5)

In my paragraph I am going to elaborate the view points that a certain number of human beings believe that old building needs to be organized and rebuilt despite of being costly but a significant percentage of them consider to build new buildings at those spaces. I am going to discuss both views and in the end I will state my opinion in this matter.

To begun with, it is very important to stay connected with our historical things like buildings, places and others. Also, with passing the time the building should be repaired and cleaned so they stay in a good shape and to avoid accidents on those places they should be updated which can cause investing a lot of money but maintaining their original structure helps current generation to have history connected with them.

On the other hand, an important thing is to keep going on and developing with new technology growing. if we build modern buildings it will be less costly and we can get a brand new place use use it for any aspect. it not only gives us a fresh area but also makes to life span of building much more than before. There will be a lot more facilities in a newly constructed building like new designs, lifts, better washrooms and many more.

In the end, I would like to conclude my opinion on this discussion, I believe that the building should be replaced with new buildings as it helps the society to grow and increases the life of building.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear opinion. However, the development of ideas is limited. The arguments for restoration are somewhat generic, focusing on 'historical things' without exploring cultural or architectural significance. Similarly, the argument for new buildings focuses on practicalities like 'lifts' and 'washrooms' but lacks depth regarding urban planning or economic impact. The introduction is slightly informal ('In my paragraph I am going to...'), which detracts from the academic tone required for this task. To improve, you should expand on your points with specific examples or more detailed reasoning to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the transition 'To begun with' is grammatically incorrect and awkward. The use of 'On the other hand' and 'In the end' is standard but basic. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'historical things' and 'any aspect'. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that flows logically into the supporting arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. You rely on simple phrases like 'good shape', 'newly constructed', and 'fresh area'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'organized and rebuilt' and 'make to life span'. The range is limited, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to architecture, urban development, and heritage conservation, such as 'architectural integrity', 'modernisation', or 'preservation'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'To begun with' (incorrect verb form), 'with passing the time' (unnatural phrasing), and 'makes to life span of building' (missing articles and incorrect preposition). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are run-on sentences and minor grammatical slips throughout. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles (e.g., 'the building' vs 'buildings'), and refining complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.

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

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