Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-09

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 5.5)

In a fast paced world, the rapid growth of urban population, providing a space to everyone quite challenging for some large cities. Although, tall high rise buildings are the better option. However, I partially agree with this statement, urban development has serious impact on people's life style, infrastructure problems and environmental issues.

On the one hand, tall building for accommodation in urban area offers convenience and employment opportunities. Firstly, with the growing urban population, major people accommodate near to city area, it provides them easily accessible to super markets, cinemas, hospitals and public transportation. Although people can save commute time, and also balance work life. Second benefit is, people get easily employment opportunities. It is only benefit to working professionals. Major benefit is lot of families accommodate in a limited plot area, where people can live in luxury infrastructure property, making efficient use of limited urban space.

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages of building tall apartment blocks. Higher population at one place lead to create noise pollution, air pollution and environment issues. During rain fall, Inadequate drainage and sewage system disrupt the whole surrounding living ecosystem. Traffic congestion is the major part of urban area. Building a tower one near to another restrict natural sunlight and stop ventilation, which affects quality of life style.

In conclusion, providing home in large cities through tall building is good options that accommodate so many families in small plot area. However, I believe that government should balance infrastructural system, provide people affordable residential area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is identifiable: you partially agree, recognising the space-saving benefits of high-rise housing while arguing that infrastructure and environmental effects need attention. The response addresses both sides and gives relevant examples, including access to services, employment, congestion, drainage and reduced sunlight. However, the extent of your agreement is not fully explained: the conclusion calls tall buildings a “good option” but does not clarify when or why their disadvantages outweigh their benefits. Some points, such as employment opportunities and “luxury infrastructure property,” are asserted rather than developed or clearly linked to the question of providing enough homes. Explain these ideas with a specific example and make your final position more precise to develop the response more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs presenting advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Sequencing within the body paragraphs is generally understandable, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “Firstly,” and “On the other hand” help readers follow the argument. However, some linking is mechanical or confusing. The opening uses “Although” and “However” together, and “Although people can save commute time” is not connected smoothly to the preceding sentence. The conclusion also introduces a recommendation about government action without clearly showing how it follows from the discussion. Use fewer formulaic transitions and connect each supporting point explicitly to the main claim; clearer references between ideas would make the progression more consistent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “urban population,” “public transportation,” “traffic congestion,” “drainage,” and “ventilation.” These terms help communicate the main issues, and some attempts at more specific language are appropriate. However, inaccurate word choice and collocation sometimes make meaning unclear or unnatural, as in “providing a space to everyone,” “major people accommodate,” and “luxury infrastructure property.” Repetition of “people,” “benefit,” and “building” also limits flexibility. Aim for more precise housing-related expressions and check whether words naturally combine in English. For example, describe residents as living near city centres, and refer to high-quality apartments or well-equipped housing rather than using unclear combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning with “Although” and a sentence describing how towers “restrict natural sunlight.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement are noticeable. The introduction contains fragments or incorrectly joined clauses: “Although, tall high rise buildings are the better option. However, I partially agree…” The phrase “Higher population at one place lead” also has an agreement error, while “Building a tower one near to another restrict” has an unclear structure and verb agreement problem. Articles and plurals are inconsistent in phrases such as “in urban area” and “tall building.” Practise building complete sentences around one main clause, then check subject–verb agreement and article use.

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