Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-20

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 7.0)

Some people believe that old buildings should be renovated regardless of the cost implications, while others argue that it is better for the government to replace them with modern infrastructure.

On the one hand, restoring historic buildings helps to preserve cultural values and traditions. These structures provide information about how people lived in the past, some of the items and equipments used during their lifetime and important arts and cultural resources. So when these buildings are maintained, the younger generation can learn about the history of their culture by visualising artefacts which had sentimental values to their forefathers. These monumental sites can also serve as a tourist attraction, where foreigners visit to learn about the culture, traditions and history of prestigious individuals from the past. This could also serve as revenue generation for the government, when the attraction centers are monetized, especially for visitors.

On the other hand, replacing old buildings with modern structures helps to meet the changing needs of the society. As time passes by, some ancient structures become outdated with little to no significance for the current generation. For this reason, such buildings have to be taken down to build new facilities that meet the needs of the current population. For instance, in rural and urban areas, many old-fashioned residences such as mud and thatched houses have been repurposed to high-rise buildings which serve as residential apartments, hospitals, offices and supermarkets which are essential facilities in today's world.

In my opinion, although it is essential for the government to demolish old buildings, so that modern structures can be built to meet the changing needs of the society, it is still important to preserve ancient structures which have historic significance to the society.

In conclusion, while trying to maintain new architectural standards, governments should prevent complete demolition of buildings with cultural relevance.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address both perspectives and give a clear, balanced opinion: historic buildings with cultural significance should be preserved, while some older buildings may be replaced to meet modern needs. The preservation argument is extended through cultural learning and tourism, and the examples of repurposed housing illustrate the case for new facilities. This meets the task well, with relevant support for the main points. To strengthen the response further, make the distinction between buildings that merit restoration and those that should be replaced more explicit—for example, explain how historical value, safety, or practical use could guide that decision. Some claims, such as old structures having “little to no significance,” are broad and would benefit from qualification or a more specific example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear progression: an introduction, separate paragraphs presenting each view, a stated opinion, and a concise conclusion. Signposting such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” makes the organisation easy to follow, while the examples generally appear alongside the points they support. The final opinion is consistent with the conclusion. At times, however, the links between ideas are somewhat formulaic, and the preservation paragraph moves quickly from cultural learning to tourism and government revenue. You could improve flow by explaining more directly how these benefits connect, and by using a wider range of referencing and transitions rather than relying mainly on standard paragraph openers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a sufficient range of topic vocabulary, including “cultural values,” “historic significance,” “tourist attraction,” and “changing needs.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and phrases such as “monumental sites” show an attempt to use less common language. Some collocations and word choices are less natural or precise, however: “items and equipments” is problematic, “revenue generation” sounds awkward in this context, and “repurposed to high-rise buildings” does not express the intended transformation naturally. “Prestigious individuals” is also an imprecise description of people from the past. More accurate collocations and specific vocabulary would make the argument more fluent and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a range of sentence forms, including complex clauses such as “although it is essential for the government to demolish old buildings…” and the relative clause “which serve as residential apartments…”. Many sentences are controlled and easy to understand, and punctuation is generally effective. A few grammatical issues remain. In “some of the items and equipments used,” the plural construction is not well formed; “equipment” is uncountable. The phrase “when the attraction centers are monetized, especially for visitors” has an unclear grammatical relationship between its parts. Also, “the needs of the society” would be more naturally expressed with a determiner suited to the general meaning. Reviewing noun forms and clause connections would improve accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.