Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-25
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 5.5)
Certain people believe that ancient infrastructure, such as museums and art galleries, should be preserved, even if it is expensive, because it represents the history of the world. Others argue that governments should invest in building new buildings, such as factories, which provide employment to umemployed people. I think that both ideas have their own importance.
On the one hand, taking care of old buildings provides knowledge about the evolution period. This is because, when the young generation sees the old monuments which are related to the historical period, provide them with knowledge about their ancestors and helps them to knows what happened in the past years. For example, most religious places were restored to provide accurate knowledge about the religion.
On the other hand, government should invest in making new buildings because it provides employment opportunities. Due to this, many people will find work and be able to earn bread and better. This helps to overcome the unemployment rate. To illustrate, now a days governemt are making factories, malls , which helps to boost the economy and provide workplaces to educate people .
In Conclusion, I think that restoring old buildings provides enough knowledge and building new building provide opp
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 201 words long and ends abruptly mid-sentence. While you have addressed both sides of the argument and provided a personal opinion, the development of ideas is limited. The arguments regarding historical preservation and economic growth are relevant but remain superficial. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure the essay is complete and provide more detailed explanations and specific examples to support your points. The conclusion is incomplete, which significantly impacts the overall task completion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' to structure the response. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete nature of the text. Paragraphing is present, but the abrupt ending prevents a logical flow to the conclusion. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a finished final paragraph makes the overall structure feel disjointed. To improve, focus on ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that the conclusion effectively synthesizes the arguments presented.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on simple terms like 'making' and 'provide', which are repeated frequently. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'evolution period' and 'earn bread and better', which are not standard collocations. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning and economics, such as 'architectural heritage', 'urban development', or 'economic stimulus'. Spelling errors like 'umemployed' and 'governemt' also detract from the overall quality.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('most religious places were restored... provide them') and incorrect verb forms ('helps them to knows'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like article usage and verb tense consistency. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will help raise your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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