Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-29

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 this world, people have different beliefs, as some of them think that old skyscrapers should be restored as they reflect the history of the nation, while others think that authorities should invest in replacing them and building new buildings. In this essay, I am going to talk about the reasons behind both statements and give my personal opinion about it.

On one hand, individuals stating that restoring older buildings are more important believe that history of a country is highly necessary for coming generations. Several old monuments contain a specific and inspiring story about the legends. For example, Taj Mahal in India were built by Shah Jahan in the loving memory of his wife which reflect the true and never ending love. Moreover, old buildings are the main reasons for tourism. Millions of people travel to other nations to see their beautiful sites and monuments are the integral part of their trip. Also, tourism generates good income not only for the government but also for the local vendors.

On the other hand, other part of the world argues that money should be invested on making modern buildings such as hospitals and schools. The first and foremost reason is the well being of the society. To elaborate, hospitals are the most important building that every city in this world must have, as the number of several new diseases are skyrocketing, authorities should invest more on health care. Secondly, the coming generation are more interested in entertainment, therefore policymakers should also invest in making cinemas and other entertainment sources to satisfy their needs as well.

According to my opinion, I lean more towards the second statement that is to build more modern buildings. As someone born in the early 2000 years, I also like to have more entertainment stuff and believes that health care is more important than old monuments. However, it does not mean that older buildings should not be restored, they should be restored but more focus should be invest on modern buildings.

To recapitulate, both arguments are highly debatable and have valid reasons, yet I think that modern world requires more modern buildings, otherwise why would we call it modern?

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the cultural value of monuments versus the practical necessity of modern infrastructure. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the argument for modern buildings focuses heavily on entertainment and health, but the link between 'modernity' and the necessity of replacing old buildings could be more deeply explored. The position is consistent throughout, though the conclusion is slightly repetitive. To reach a higher band, ensure that the supporting examples are more analytical rather than just descriptive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand,' 'Moreover,' and 'To recapitulate' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, there are instances where the flow is slightly mechanical, and some transitions between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. Referencing is generally clear, but some minor improvements in the use of linking words would enhance the overall progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'monuments,' 'policymakers,' and 'infrastructure' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'entertainment stuff' (informal) and 'skyrocketing' used in a slightly awkward context. The phrase 'early 2000 years' is also non-standard. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and avoiding informal phrasing to elevate the tone of the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('Taj Mahal... were built,' 'the coming generation are'), and minor punctuation or article errors. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring accuracy in subject-verb agreement and tense consistency will help improve this score.

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

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