Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-12
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 5.0)
It is often debated whether government should allocate a significant amount of financial resources on restoring ancient buildings, such as town halls and art galleries, irrespective of high cost, or the authorities should reconstruct those building with modern monuments. Although contemporary architecture intensify the beauty of the city, I believe preserving old buildings help to preserve the historical significance of the place, and attract tourist that assist to boost the economy.
On the one hand, one of the primary reasons why replacing old building are beneficial for a country is that it requires a substantial amount of government funding, which could otherwise be allocated to more pressing issues. By spending that money on education, healthcare, and public transportation, government can create better employment opportunities, reduce pollution, and decrease literacy rate. A clear example of this can be seen in developed countries, where government use their resources on the betterment of the country. Therefore, it is evident that allocation government funds on other sectors is crucial than preserving old buildings.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 169 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you have introduced both views and stated a position, the discussion is incomplete. You have only provided one body paragraph focusing on the argument for replacing buildings; the counter-argument for restoration is not developed, and the conclusion is entirely missing. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are addressed with sufficient depth and length. The current under-length response prevents a full exploration of the topic, leading to a low score for task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay demonstrates a basic level of organization. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'Therefore' to link ideas. However, because the essay is incomplete and lacks a concluding paragraph, the overall progression is stunted. Paragraphing is present, but the lack of a second body paragraph and a conclusion makes the structure feel unfinished. To improve, ensure you have a clear introduction, at least two distinct body paragraphs for the two views, and a summary conclusion. The logical flow is currently interrupted by the abrupt ending of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'allocate', 'financial resources', 'contemporary architecture', and 'historical significance'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'decrease literacy rate' (which is logically incorrect in this context) and 'intensify the beauty' (where 'enhance' would be more natural). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. Focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that your word choices accurately reflect the intended meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'government should allocate' (missing an article), 'reconstruct those building' (should be plural 'buildings'), and 'government use their resources' (should be 'governments use' or 'the government uses'). Additionally, the phrase 'decrease literacy rate' is grammatically awkward. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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