Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-11

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)

Old buildings represent our ancient heritage and culture. We feel connceted to our roots while looking at these memorable infrastructures occasionally. Moreover, it is undeniable that these buildings are getting old and weak over time. Hence, it is a matter of debate that whether these old buildings ought to be rennovated or must be reconstructed after its demolition. The renovation of old buildings and edifices seems to be a better idea rather than its reconstruction after demolition.

On the one hand, supporters of old buildings argue that old buildings are the integral part of our culture and heritage. Their main structure should be remained as it is because they not only help us to understand old architectural layout and style but also to imbibe the ancient culture and lifestyle.

However, their structure must be rennovated as it may be resulted in the collapse if it would not be restored due its weakness and instability.

Another noteworthy reason for rennovation is that people usually take less interest in the vulnerable and less attractive infrastructure which coulors have faded away over time. Consequently, they don't spend money to visit these buildings, which eventually may effect the maintainence budget of such buildings.

On the other hand, people who believe that old buildings must be demolished first and reconstructred afterwards with new and modern architecture. They give reason that old buildings's structure would remains old and vulnerable even though a hefty amount has been spend pver its maintainance. Additionally, people demonstrate less enthusiasm and interest in old infrasturcuture , they prefer modern building with latest facilities.

In coonclusion, even though the hefty and large amount of money required to rennovate old buildings, it is relatively cost-effective rather than constructing a new one.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the discussion and make your own preference clear: the introduction favours renovation, and the conclusion says it is more cost-effective than rebuilding. Relevant reasons include preserving heritage and architectural knowledge, preventing unsafe structures from collapsing, and the appeal of modern facilities. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained. For example, the claim that faded colours reduce visitor numbers and affect maintenance budgets would be stronger with a clearer link or a specific example. The opposing view is also presented briefly, without exploring when replacement might be preferable. Develop each side with a concrete example and explain how it supports your position to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes uneven: the paragraph about faded colours and visitor numbers feels like a separate reason, but its connection to the main case for renovation is not made explicit. Some linking is also mechanical, and references such as “these buildings” and “their structure” can be unclear when several ideas are being discussed. Use topic sentences that state each paragraph’s main point, then connect supporting details with clearer cause-and-effect links and precise references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “heritage,” “architectural layout,” “vulnerable,” and “cost-effective,” which helps convey the subject. There are also attempts at less common expressions, but inaccurate word choice, collocation, and spelling are noticeable and sometimes distract the reader. For instance, “imbibe the ancient culture” is not a natural way to express learning about a culture, while “effect the maintenance budget” uses the wrong form for the intended meaning. Several spellings, including “rennovated,” “maintainence,” and “infrasturcutre,” need careful checking. Aim for precise, natural combinations such as “preserve cultural heritage” and “attract visitors,” and proofread spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “while,” “because,” and “even though.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward or difficult to process. For example, “Their main structure should be remained” has an incorrect passive form, and “people who believe that old buildings must be demolished first and reconstructred afterwards” is an incomplete construction. In “old buildings’s structure would remains old,” the possessive and verb agreement are also faulty. Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement and passive forms when editing.

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