Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-30

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)

After carefully considering both perspectives, I am firmly convinced that spending on old buildings is more advantageous option, while it is true that governments should replace these buildings with new ones because of many benefits.

On the one hand, the most compelling reason behind my preference is that investing on the old buildings is important because these preserves the history and culture of the nation. people can enhance their knowledge and stay connected with their roots. Moreover, if government focus on such kind of galleries, these can become tourist places for visitors and local people. As a result, the economy of nation can be boost and create job opportunities for local individuals.

On the other hand, there are various reasons why other people think these buildings should replace with new ones. The first and foremost is the maintenance of historical places is very expensive as compare to make new buildings. The government can spend this money on other important buildings such as schools, hospitals and recreational areas. For example, in many areas, people are deprived for getting these facilities. Secondly, in many cities, the roads are very congested so that government should invest there to solve the problem of traffics and miss happenings.

In conclusion, although preserving old buildings has their own importance, but the benefits of replace them with new ones cannot be neglected due to various reasons because these can help to raise the living standerd of people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the essay fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments regarding cultural preservation and economic benefits are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped due to the brevity of the text. The conclusion is also quite abrupt. To improve, you should expand on your examples and ensure that each body paragraph provides a more thorough explanation of the points raised to meet the length requirement and demonstrate a more comprehensive exploration of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure of your argument. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as in the final sentence where 'their' is used incorrectly to refer to 'preserving old buildings' (a singular concept). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring consistent pronoun reference would help elevate your score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'tourist places,' 'job opportunities,' and 'maintenance.' However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'investing on' (should be 'investing in'), 'economy of nation can be boost' (should be 'boosted'), and 'miss happenings' (which is not standard English). To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your range of academic vocabulary would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('these preserves,' 'government focus'), incorrect verb forms ('should replace' instead of 'should be replaced'), and preposition errors ('deprived for getting'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. To improve, pay closer attention to passive voice constructions and ensure that your verb tenses and prepositions are used accurately throughout your writing.

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

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