Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-02

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 5.0)

If I would have the opportunity, I will have my child educated in the US. There are three reasons for this. First, my child can learn English better. Second, my child can experience various languages and cultures. Third, my child can play sports. Since my child can be better educated in the US, I will send him/her to study in the US.

First of all, my child can learn English better in the US than in Korea. At school, my child will learn various subjects like Math, Science, Social Studies, Music, and Art in English. Doing so, he/she can talk and write about various topics in English. Then after school, my child will converse with others in English. This way, he/she will practice conversational English.

Second of all, my child can experience various languages and cultures in the US. Unlike Korea, one can experience many different cultures and languages at a very close distance. For example, if my child wants to learn Vietnamese and their culture, he/she can go to the Vietnamese community and mingle there. If he/she wants to try the Italian cuisine, he/she can visit Little Italy. Moreover, there are many different ethnic festivals and ceremonies that my child can visit locally in the US.

Thirdly, my child can play various sports in the US. Unlike most Korean schools, US schools have excellent sports facilities. For example, many schools have swimming pools, football fields, basketball gym, tennis courts, and many others. Moreover, these schools encourage students to play sports. However, most Korean schools do not have such fine sports facilities and they discourage students from playing sports.

US education can benefit my child in many ways. My child can master English, broaden his horizons, and become more physically strong. Therefore, if I could have my child educated in the US, I will not hesitate to send him/her abroad.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response is largely off-topic as it discusses whether the student would send their child to be educated in the US, rather than discussing whether old buildings should be restored or replaced by modern ones. Because the writing completely misinterprets the prompt and addresses an entirely different topic, the ideas presented do not fulfill the requirements of the task. The writer outlines personal reasons for studying abroad, which completely misses the prompt regarding urban architecture and historic preservation. To meet the requirements of the task, the writer must carefully read the prompt and ensure that all parts of the central topic—discussing the restoration versus replacement of old buildings and providing a personal opinion—are properly addressed with relevant ideas and examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear, logical structure. The essay is divided into an introduction, three distinct body paragraphs addressing separate points, and a conclusion, showing that paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Second of all', and 'Thirdly' are used to sequence ideas, although referencing and linking can sometimes feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas within paragraphs is generally easy to follow, as each body paragraph introduces a clear sub-topic related to the writer's argument. To achieve a higher band, the writer should ensure that cohesive devices are used more flexibly and subtly, avoiding repetitive transitional formulas, and strengthening the overall logical flow between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating everyday ideas about education, culture, and sports. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'mingle', 'cuisine', and 'ceremonies', though some word choices and phrasing remain somewhat basic or repetitive. Spelling and word-choice errors are minimal and do not impede communication. For instance, phrases like 'play sports' and 'fine sports facilities' are clear, but lack academic precision. To improve this criterion and move to a higher band, the student needs to incorporate a wider and more sophisticated range of less common lexical items with greater precision, demonstrating better awareness of style, collocation, and natural phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating a reasonable command of basic sentence patterns. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as the conditional structure in the opening sentence ('If I would have the opportunity, I will have...'), but these errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear. The student successfully uses subordinate clauses and modal verbs in various parts of the text. To reach a higher band, the writer should aim to produce a greater variety of complex structures with improved accuracy, ensuring that verb tenses and conditionals are handled correctly and consistently throughout the entire essay.

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

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