Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-19

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 by some that conventional buildings should be restored, as they symbolize old customs and traditions of a nation. Others, on the other hand, contend that they should entirely be replaced with contemporary buildings, that look more fashionable and up-to-date. I am strongly against the latter viewpoint as old and memorable constructions should be refined rather than being destroyed because they strongly signify our culture and history. Besides, the use of land and trees to develop new buildings is detrimental for our health and environment in many ways.

To begin with, I concede that constructing novel halls is a good idea to shape a city and make it look more appealing to outsiders. Citizens often love to visit big malls and stores to stay trendy and updated with today's culture, as it is almost impossible to spend life according to the old customs. However, such activities are not only harmful for us, they damage our ecosystems as well. To cite an example, nowadays, cultivable lands in Lahore are being replaced with living places, resulting in deforestation and pollution, which has led to many health-related issues among the citizens.

Moreover, we should preserve the traditional places, such as museums and forts because they highlight the major events of our history and represent ancient art and music practices. For instance, Shahi Qila is a famous mosque in Lahore and millions of people visit there everyday to view its incredible design and unique historical features.

To conclude, while new buildings play a role in portraying the new trends and features of our country, the significance of old ones should not be overlooked, as they mark the crucial past events and unique practices of ancient times.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on whether old buildings should be restored or replaced with modern ones and clearly stating a personal opinion against replacement. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported, such as mentioning the cultural and historical significance of old buildings alongside environmental concerns regarding modern construction. For instance, the discussion of cultivable land and deforestation in Lahore provides relevant support, although some arguments lean slightly towards environmental impacts rather than purely architectural debates. Overall, the task is addressed well and the position is clear, fitting the criteria for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction that sets out the two views and the writer's stance, followed by body paragraphs addressing each aspect, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, with transition markers such as 'To begin with', 'However', 'Moreover', and 'To conclude' guiding the reader through the text. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraphing and transitions could be slightly more refined for a higher band. Nevertheless, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, making this a solid Band 7 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and subject-specific terms such as 'conventional buildings', 'contemporary', 'detrimental', 'ecosystems', and 'deforestation'. There are occasional slight inaccuracies in word choice or phrasing, such as 'constructing novel halls' where 'novel' is somewhat unnatural in this context, or referring to the 'Shahi Qila' as a mosque (it is actually a fort). However, these vocabulary errors do not impede communication. The lexical resource is sufficient for flexibility and precision in places, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional structures. Examples include 'It is argued by some that conventional buildings should be restored, as they symbolize old customs...' and '...resulting in deforestation and pollution, which has led to many health-related issues...'. There are some minor errors in grammar and punctuation, such as the unnecessary comma in 'buildings, that look more fashionable', but these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The majority of complex sentences are well-controlled, supporting a Band 7 score for grammatical range and accuracy.

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

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