Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-11

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 years it has been growing debate whether old buildings and art galleries should be renovate or replaced by new buildings. This essay will discuss both perspective before presenting my own opinion.

On the one hand, proponents of this concept hold the view that most of the traditional buildings and art galleries represent the history and culture of respective cities which help transfer values and etiquettes to the young generation. Apart from this, beautiful old buildings always become the tourist attractions due to their architectural deigns and are the source of significant income. For instance, Old town hall, Toronto and art gallery of Ontario are the one of the oldest building in Canada always attract tourists.

On the other hand, opponents of this viewpoint argue that these old buildings can cause lot of maintenance cost, so these required to be changed with new modern style buildings. They also hold the view that modern buildings can have better heating, cooling, elevators and safety system. Furthermore, they believe that old buildings can be expensive to repair because their structure and system may be outdated. On the other hand, a new building may require less maintenance. For example, an outdated town hall may have poor heating and ventilation system, limited parking and inadequate facilities for people with disabilities.

In conclusion, although both views have their own merits, I believe that town halls and art galleries must be restored as they act as carrier of our past and history. In this technological world we have the options to install all the new facilities in the old buildings. So, we will not hesitate to invest some money to preserve our roots of culture,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the cultural value of heritage buildings versus the practical benefits of modern infrastructure. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the 'cost' of maintenance could be more deeply explored with specific examples of how modern technology can be integrated into historic structures. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully elaborated with more detailed reasoning or illustrative examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Furthermore' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the repetitive use of 'they' and 'these' which occasionally makes the antecedent unclear. The flow of ideas is generally smooth, but the progression could be enhanced by using a wider variety of linking phrases to connect sentences more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'architectural designs,' 'maintenance cost,' and 'inadequate facilities.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'growing debate whether' (should be 'growing debate as to whether') and 'transfer values and etiquettes' (etiquette is usually singular and refers to social behavior, not cultural values). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but more precise and sophisticated vocabulary would be needed to reach a higher band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include 'should be renovate' (should be 'renovated'), 'these required to be changed' (should be 'these require changing'), and 'are the one of the oldest building' (should be 'are among the oldest buildings'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors, such as the comma splice at the end of the final sentence. The frequency of these errors does not impede communication, but they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band.

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

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