Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-20

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 6.0)

People have different preferences when it comes to infrastructure and buildings. Some enjoy the idea of preserving historic structures, while others like to get rid of them and develop new architectural features in their surroundings. Both approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages. In this essay, I will discuss both viewpoints followed by my own opinion.

There is a group of people who is willing to save the old infrastructure and buildings in forms of city hall and museums. Advantage of this approach includes the fact that the new generation is more likely to have the best view of the city’s historical landscape. To accomplish this goal, parents are willing to help their children with their historical knowledge.

On the other hand, introducing the new construction of modern skyscrapers would be a major step forward for the development and expansion of modern architecture. Which would mean that the new buildings would be more reliable than existing ones in a lot more ways. For instance, areas prone to flooding and earthquakes often require adequate infrastructure for flood control operations and this can be done by using the new technology to provide more reliable structures to withstand the natural disasters.

In my opinion, both restoring the old premises and developing new properties are valuable in different circumstances. Restoration is a good way to preserve the culture of a community. Moving on with modern constructions will help us understand the importance of being able to use the right tools for comfort and stability.

In the nutshell, the two sides of a coin always have a common purpose and goal. However, we need to understand which approach suits the situation best.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the argument regarding parents helping children with historical knowledge is not clearly linked to the preservation of buildings. Similarly, the point about modern buildings and natural disasters is relevant but could be more deeply explored to fully support the argument for replacement. The essay covers all parts of the prompt, but the supporting arguments lack the depth required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the other hand' and 'In my opinion', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, although the sentence 'Which would mean that...' is a sentence fragment that disrupts the flow. Overall, the structure is coherent, but the use of cohesive devices could be more sophisticated and varied to improve the logical flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'infrastructure', 'architectural features', and 'historical landscape'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some awkward collocations, such as 'in forms of city hall' and 'introducing the new construction'. The phrasing 'two sides of a coin' is a cliché that does not add significant value. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise and varied vocabulary to convey complex ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, 'There is a group of people who is willing' should be 'are willing', and 'in the nutshell' is an incorrect idiom (should be 'in a nutshell'). There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to proofreading and complex sentence construction is needed.

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

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