Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-23

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)

Many individuals consider that old monuments like town halls and museums, which represent our art, should be maintained by the government, while some believe that they should be replaced with modern buildings for future generations. In this essay, I will explain both views before representing my own ideas.

To commence with the first notion, old buildings like art galleries and town halls should be repaired and maintained by the government owing to it's indispensible value and function. To elaborate, these buildings represent our culture and traditions, and cannot be compared with monetary value. These are irreplaceable structures which are handed down by our ancestors. To epitome, the Taj Mahal is considered an irreplaceable monument, and it is a pride of India. Government spending huge amounts for it's restoration. Thus, it cannot be replaced due to its heritage value.

However, some believe that old buildings should be converted into new buildings due to increasing number of the population. To explain it, nowadays, due to higher demand for land and augmenting level of poverty, the masses face a housing issue. This conversion may help them with shelter. For instance, it has been proven that 55% of the population in India is facing a housing issue owing to the higher demand and pricing of the land. Therefore, a few segments of the population believe that instead of being renovated for the same purpose, it should be utilized for the needy people of the country.

To recapitulate, there are many benefits if the building is replaced with a new model. While I believe that the government has to spend money on the maintenance of the old buildings because it helps to represent the culture and conserve the heritage for the next generation, which they will not be able to build at any cost.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the cultural significance of heritage buildings versus the practical need for housing. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The argument for restoration is well-supported with the Taj Mahal example, but the argument for replacement relies on a somewhat tenuous link between historic town halls and solving poverty. The conclusion is slightly contradictory, as it begins by suggesting there are benefits to replacing buildings but then pivots to support restoration. To reach a higher band, ensure that the personal opinion is consistently maintained and that arguments are fully explored without internal contradictions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'However', and 'To recapitulate' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the progression is generally clear, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Additionally, the referencing in the final paragraph is a bit confusing; the sentence structure 'While I believe that the government has to spend money...' is a fragment that lacks a main clause, which slightly disrupts the flow of the argument. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the logical sequence of ideas is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'indispensible', 'irreplaceable', and 'augmenting'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'To epitome' (should be 'To epitomize' or 'For example') and 'augmenting level of poverty' (which is slightly unnatural). The use of 'monuments' to describe town halls is a slight over-generalization, as not all town halls are monuments. Despite these minor inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several recurring grammatical errors, particularly with possessives and articles, such as 'it's indispensible value' (should be 'its') and 'the Taj Mahal' (correct) versus 'the pride of India' (should be 'a source of pride'). The sentence 'Government spending huge amounts for it's restoration' is a fragment lacking a finite verb. While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of possessive pronouns versus contractions.

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

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