Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-27

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)

It is argued that government should spend money restoring old buildings like town halls and arts galleries, while others thinks it is better to replace them with modern structures. I will discuss both perspectives and give my opinion.

Those who support restoring old buildings believe they have great cultural and historical value. Buildings such as town halls and ate galleries symbols of a nation's heritage. They reflect the architectural style and craftsmanship of the past, which cannot be replicated today. Moreover, these buildings attract tourists and generate income for local communities. For example, many cities in Europe depend on tourism because of their well-preserved historical centers. Preserving them also give citizens a sense of identity and pride.

On the other hand, people who favor modern buildings argue that restoration is extremely expensive and often impractical. Old building may lack proper facilities such as elevators, heating and internet access, making them unsuitable for current use, Replacing them with new buildings allow the government to create safer, more energy-efficient structures that meet the needs of a growing population, In fast-developing cities, land is limited, so building modern facilities likes offices, hospitals, or community centers is more beneficial.

In my opinion, a balance is needed. Government should restored buildings that have significant historical importance, but they should not preserve every old structure at the expense of development. Important landmarks can be maintained for cultural reasons, while new buildings can be constructed to serve modern needs.

In conclusion, although restoring old buildings can be costly, their cultural value makes it worthwhile in some cases. However, modern buildings are also necessary for progress. The best approach is to protect key heritage sites and allow new development elsewhere.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the mention of European tourism and the practical limitations of old buildings like heating and elevators. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development of the arguments could be slightly more nuanced, perhaps by exploring the economic trade-offs in greater depth, but the current level of development is sufficient for a solid score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to link ideas. However, there are minor issues with punctuation and sentence flow, such as the comma splice in '...growing population, In fast-developing cities...' and the run-on structure in the introduction. These do not impede communication but prevent the essay from reaching the highest level of cohesive management.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'architectural style', 'craftsmanship', and 'energy-efficient'. There are some minor errors, such as 'ate galleries' (a typo for 'art galleries') and 'government should restored' (a grammatical error affecting lexical accuracy). While the range is adequate to convey the message clearly, the use of less common lexical items is somewhat limited. To improve, the student should focus on more precise collocations and ensure spelling accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the student attempts complex sentences, there are persistent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('government should restored', 'others thinks', 'Old building may lack', 'Preserving them also give'). These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the argument. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to improve control over verb tenses and pluralization, and ensure that complex structures are used with greater accuracy.

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

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