Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-10

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 6.5)

In recent times. people hold contrasting perspective regarding restoration of old architecture. While a segment of society contends that old buildings should be restored, other maintain that contemporary architecture should replace the traditional properties. I ultimately side with restoration over the replacement of the structures.

On the one hand, proponents of renovation argue that preserving the historic architecture preserves the cultural identity and boost the economic values via tourism. The primary rationale behind this perspective this that modern development has impacted the loss of culture for several communities, as a result the historic landmark, just as town halls and art galleries that are constructed several decades or centuries ago stands as symbol of representation of the society that resided in the area. Additionally, the modern buildings cannot replicate the replicate the sense of identity, this distinct character draws tourist, generating revenue for local businesses and hospitality. Consequently why many individuals advocates for the restoration of old buildings such as cathedrals and churches.

On the other hand, advocates for replacement of the old building with a contemporary architectural structures, the side contends that restoring aging structures often requires skilled and expensive craftsmanship and frequent inspection and repairs. In contrast, new building utilize space better, feature superior accessibility and incorporate smart resource allocation. Considering the fact that several ancient buildings are non-essential and severely damaged, that cannot be utilized for tourism, replacing modern infrastructure can allow growth of priority sectors such as healthcare and education, making it far more compelling argument.

In conclusion, while valid points can be raised in favor of replacing the historic building , I firmly believe that restoration of the historic landmarks help to preserves the cultural identity of the community that build over the the year and consequently attracts tourism which helps the community in socio-economic growth.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant, such as cultural identity and economic benefits for restoration, and space efficiency and cost for replacement. However, the development is slightly uneven; while the arguments are clear, some points could be more deeply explored with more specific examples. For instance, the mention of 'healthcare and education' as priority sectors is a good point, but it remains a general assertion. The position is consistent throughout, meeting the requirements for a Band 7 level of task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In contrast', and 'Consequently' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, there are some instances of awkward phrasing and minor mechanical errors in cohesion, such as the repetitive 'the replicate the' and the slightly disjointed sentence structure in the second paragraph. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the essay flows well, justifying a Band 6.5 or 7.0; I have awarded a 6.5 due to the occasional mechanical issues in linking ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at less common items like 'contemporary architecture', 'craftsmanship', and 'socio-economic growth'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and repetition, such as 'the replicate the' and 'the the year'. The range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but the lack of precision and occasional errors in collocation prevent a higher score. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on more varied vocabulary and ensure accurate word forms, as the current level is firmly in the Band 6 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the student attempts complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'other maintain', 'landmark... stands', 'individuals advocates') and article usage. Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure occasionally becomes clunky, such as in the second paragraph where the sentence starting with 'The primary rationale' is grammatically flawed. These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to limit the score to a 6.0, as the majority of sentences are not error-free.

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

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