Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

The best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Nowadays, the expansion of building tall apartments in urban areas has made tremendous changes to every individual's life. It is often argued by some people that the best way to allocate enough homes in big cities is to build tall apartment blocks. I partially agree with this statement because tall buildings can only provide homes, but there are other necessities of livelihood that are also mandatory. I believe a balanced approach is the best way to work on this.

On the one hand, there are several reasons that why tall apartment blocks are useful. First and foremost, large cities have limited land; tall buildings can provide many homes in small area. Furthermore, more people can live in same building and they can grow their connections. This can also help reduce housing shortages. For example, instead of building many separate houses, one tall apartment building can accommodate hundreds of families. Consequently, more people can find affordable accomodation.

On the other hand, there are fewer reasons that why tall buildings are not enough. One of the major factor is that people need more than just a place to live. Moreover, cities also needs other facilities, such as schools, hospitals, parks, shopping areas and public transport and because of that huge buildings can make areas crowded. Similarly, it can also create traffic congestion and pressure on public services. Therefore, governments should combine apartment construction with proper urban planning and public facilities.

In conclusion, having tall building is essential as it can save land and provide homes in small areas and also grow network of peoples' living in the same building. However, people need other facilities which makes areas more crowded and creates traffic issues. I believe a balanced approach is better than relying only on tall apartment blocks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you partially agree that tall apartment blocks help address housing needs, but argue that they must be accompanied by other facilities and planning. You support the housing benefit with the example that one building can accommodate hundreds of families, and you identify relevant drawbacks such as pressure on transport and public services. This addresses the task, but the two sides are not equally developed: the benefits are explained mainly through land efficiency and capacity, while the concerns are listed more than explored. The claim that residents can “grow their connections” could also be explained more clearly or supported with an example. To strengthen the response, develop how high-rise construction compares with alternatives and explain why a balanced approach is the best solution.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, contrasting body paragraphs and a conclusion. The progression from the advantages of high-rise housing to its limitations is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help readers navigate the argument. This is a coherent arrangement, and the paragraphs each have a recognisable focus. However, some linking is mechanical, and a few connections between ideas are not fully smooth: the sentence about residents growing their connections does not clearly lead into the point about reducing shortages. The long list of facilities also makes the second body paragraph feel crowded. Use more precise referencing and vary transitions, while grouping related points and showing explicitly how each supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “housing shortages,” “accommodate,” “affordable accommodation,” “traffic congestion” and “urban planning.” These choices make the main points clear, and you attempt some less common phrasing. At times, however, word choice or collocation is inaccurate or awkward, as in “allocate enough homes,” “grow their connections,” and “grow network of peoples' living.” There is also a spelling error in “accomodation.” These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Aim for established collocations such as “provide sufficient housing,” “build social connections” and “a sense of community.” Proofreading spelling and choosing more exact expressions will make your argument sound more fluent and controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a reason clause in “I partially agree … because tall buildings can only provide homes” and a relative clause in “facilities, such as schools … which makes areas more crowded.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. Examples include “there are several reasons that why,” “in small area,” “cities also needs,” and “One of the major factor,” which involve clause construction, articles or subject–verb and noun agreement. The final sentence also has an unclear agreement pattern in “people need other facilities which makes areas more crowded.” Review these patterns and check singular/plural forms and articles. More accurate control of these structures, alongside your existing sentence variety, would improve clarity.

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.