Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-18

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)

Many people think that old bluidings, such as town halls and art galleries, need to be stored, whereas other believed that it is an expensive process. Instead of that authorties need to make new buildings with advanced features. In my opionion, replacing it is a better option. This easy will shed light on both views and also explain my opinion with relevant examples.

To begin with, old building stored our hertitage and culture. It shows how any area developed and what was the values of old people. Moreover, it contain information about the past events. Even though, customs and policies are always variable and suppose to change according to the need of people but still, it requried attention and need to be varified time to time. For example,old monuments, paintings and other related items show the real evolution. Thus, these are base of modern world and essentail for the discoveries of ancent world.

On the other side, these buiding required proper maintainess, which is very cost effective and time consuming. Despite that, these building are not safe because any accident can happend during checking of building. These were made up of old material, which can loosen their strength by the time. All the items can be replaced for the old art galleries and town halls to presevered for next generations while buildings can be constructed again by including modern equipment such as emergency exit, fire alarm and new lighting.

In conclusion, replacement is easiest and safest option. All the important information is already taken from the old buidings. Therefore, rather than wasting money and time on it better to build new one, which have all the faclities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—preserving old buildings versus replacing them with modern ones—and provides a clear personal opinion. The writer establishes a position in the introduction stating that replacement is a better option. Ideas are presented and supported with examples, such as mentioning old monuments and paintings representing heritage, and contrasting these with the maintenance costs and safety issues of aging structures. However, some arguments lack full extension and suffer from slight conceptual confusion, such as mixing up the preservation of artifacts with the physical buildings themselves. Despite these minor limitations, the main prompt requirements are adequately covered, placing this performance at a solid Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, moving to body paragraphs discussing cultural value versus maintenance costs, and concluding with a summary. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'On the other side', and 'In conclusion', which help structure the essay. However, referencing and transitions are at times faulty or mechanical, as seen in phrases like 'Instead of that authorties need to make' and 'This easy will shed light', which detract from the natural flow. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate distinct ideas, though overall progression is occasionally hampered by awkward linking, resulting in a Band 6.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'evolution', 'heritage', 'maintainess' (maintenance), and 'presevered'. However, there are numerous noticeable spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, including 'bluidings' instead of buildings, 'stored' instead of stored/restored, 'opionion', 'hertitage', 'requried', 'ancent', and 'faclities'. These errors indicate a limited control over spelling and word formation, although they do not entirely impede communication, as the reader can still discern the writer's intended meaning. This performance fits the criteria for Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing subordinating clauses such as 'Even though, customs and policies are always variable...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, incorrect verb forms, and punctuation slips across the text, such as 'other believed', 'authorties need', 'it contain', 'building required proper maintainess, which is very cost effective' (misusing cost-effective), and 'any accident can happend'. Subject-verb agreement is frequently broken ('old building stored', 'these building are'), and tense consistency is occasionally flawed. These errors require some effort from the reader to untangle, though meaning is generally preserved, corresponding to a Band 5.0.

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

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