Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-06

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)

It is often argued that old buildings, such as town halls and art galleries should be restored, even though this can be costly and most of the people argue that governments should replace them with new, modern buildings. While there are different views regarding this issue, I believed that government should change the old buildings into new modern buildings.

There are several reasons why people believe the old building ideas. This is because some of the people memories attached with the town halls and art galleries. For example, many people like the current ambiance of art galleries and some people spent a lot of time in town halls with their families. Therefore, they believe buildings should be restored, even though this can be costly.

Another important point to consider is that government should replace the old building into new, modern building. This means that this idea is more convenient than other. For instance, old buildings have old wirings, weak infrastructures, and new technologies cannot be placed there, and restoring the building can be costly. New generation wants the new infrastructure and ambiance. As a result, replace the old buildings into modern building is the best option and government save the cost in this idea also.

In the conclusion. although many people think the town halls and art galleries should be reconstructed. I believe that replacing the buildings into modern one is the best idea because it is cost effective also.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

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 significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments regarding emotional attachment and modern infrastructure are relevant, they are under-developed and lack sufficient supporting evidence or depth. The conclusion is also quite brief. To reach a higher band, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and specific examples to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the introduction to the body paragraphs and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'This is because' and 'Another important point'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between ideas could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and phrases would help the flow of the essay and demonstrate better control over text structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'old buildings' and 'new, modern buildings' are used repeatedly throughout the text. There are some attempts at topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'ambiance', 'infrastructure', and 'cost-effective', but these are limited. To improve, you should aim to use a wider range of synonyms and more sophisticated collocations to express your ideas more precisely. Avoid repeating the same phrases and try to incorporate more academic vocabulary related to urban planning and heritage conservation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'some of the people memories attached' (missing verb), 'government should replace the old building into new' (incorrect preposition/collocation), and 'replace the old buildings into modern building' (grammatical inconsistency). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in the conclusion. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of sentence construction and verb agreement.

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

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