Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-13

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 an increasingly interconnected world, the issue of restoration of old buildings finds itself surrounded by much controversy. Some part of society argues that authorities should change old buildings with modern buildings, while others believe that they should be restored. In my opinion, I strongly agree with the latter part of the statement as its implementation may bear certain merits.

To commence with, restoring old structures will not only keep people attached to their culture but also enable young generation to know about their traditions and rituals. To substantiate, old monuments represent the history and culture of the area due to which people get opportunity to have historical knowledge. In additions, authorities are able to make money by putting entry fees. To cite an example, according CPP news around 7 million tourists visit Taj Mahal that is old building and is famous because of its unique design and its history. Hence, old infrastructures allow individuals to elevate their knowledge about history of the place.

In contrast, if old structures will be replaced with new buildings, it will lead to the prevention of deforestation. In other words, council will get some area to construct new buildings because of which they do not need to cut forests to get more space for construction. To quote an instance, report from University of Toronto showed that 55 old buildings in Toronto destroyed to construct new residential towers that resolved housing issues by 48 percent. Therefore, replacing old buildings with new structures can be quite helpful.

To recapitulate, restoring old buildings is becoming increasingly controversial. Old monuments assist individuals to have knowledge about their culture and traditions. Additionally, authorities will be able to generate good revenue because of tourism. Local retailers may see incline in their sales.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as cultural preservation versus urban development. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding deforestation is a bit tenuous and could have been explained more logically. While the position is clear, the supporting examples, such as the reference to 'CPP news', feel slightly underdeveloped or lack sufficient depth to fully convince the reader. Overall, the response meets the requirements of the prompt but would benefit from more detailed elaboration and stronger logical links between the arguments and the examples provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used throughout, such as 'To commence with', 'In contrast', and 'To recapitulate', which help guide the reader. However, some of the transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive. The paragraphing is appropriate, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, there are moments where the flow feels slightly disjointed, particularly in the transition between the cultural benefits and the economic benefits within the second paragraph. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at using less common items like 'interconnected', 'substantiate', and 'recapitulate'. However, there are instances of awkward word choice and minor errors, such as 'change old buildings with modern buildings' (should be 'replace') and 'incline in their sales' (should be 'increase'). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. To improve, focus on more natural collocations and ensure that vocabulary is used in the correct context to avoid slight inaccuracies that occasionally distract the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'young generation' (needs an article), 'that is old building' (missing article), and '55 old buildings in Toronto destroyed' (missing auxiliary verb 'were'). While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. The control over punctuation is generally good, and the meaning remains clear throughout. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more error-free sentences and work on the consistent use of articles and verb forms, as these are the most frequent sources of error in the current text.

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