Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-11

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 5.0)

In this modern era, many people believe that the best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks. I strongly disagree with this perspective, and I will discuss my reasons in the following paragraph, concluding with a suitable summary.

Supporting my disagreement with the given statement, I firmly do not believe that the best way to provide enough homes in large urban areas is to build big apartment blocks. To cite an example, an apartment is very expensive; everyone should not afford this. In a city area there are many peoples live together. Not everyone is the same class; someone is more educated, someone is less educated, and they will not make a good relationship if they live in the same apartment. Moreover, it has become a hassle for everyone.

Explaining some of the other supporting points against this statement, it is true that tall apartment blocks are not the permanent solution. People love to live independently; apartments have very strict rules, and some people can not maintain this. I think the way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build individual homes. Build small homes in different cities because it is inexpensive and people can maintain their own culture. For instance, in a city there are different cultures. Someone is Hindu, someone is Muslim, and someone is Christian.

Although it is also true that the best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks. It has some advantages, but in the long run, it creates so many problems.

In conclusion, I do not believe that the best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks. It is crucial for everyone to take steps to mitigate this problem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

Your position is clear: you strongly disagree with relying on tall apartment blocks, and you offer alternatives such as individual homes. However, the reasons are only partly developed and some do not directly explain how enough homes could be provided. For example, the claim that residents from different educational or religious backgrounds may not form good relationships is asserted rather than supported, and the point about apartments being expensive needs explanation or evidence. You briefly acknowledge advantages of apartment blocks but do not identify them. The response also falls short of the required 250 words: it contains 230 words, and 68 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. Develop two relevant reasons with specific examples and explain how your proposed alternative could meet housing demand.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the reader can follow your overall disagreement. However, progression within the body paragraphs is limited: the first moves from cost to education and relationships, then to a general claim that apartments are a hassle, without showing how these points connect. Phrases such as “Supporting my disagreement” and “Explaining some of the other supporting points” make the organisation feel formulaic, while “Although” introduces a sentence that is not completed as a contrasting clause. The conclusion repeats the position but adds no synthesis. Group related reasons together, use clearer links between claims and examples, and make each paragraph develop one main point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate your general position, including topic-related terms such as “apartment blocks,” “urban areas,” “independently” and “culture.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, which makes some ideas harder to understand. For instance, “everyone should not afford this” does not clearly express that many people cannot afford apartments, and “many peoples live together” uses an unsuitable plural form. “It has become a hassle for everyone” is vague and informal for an academic argument. Aim for more precise housing vocabulary and natural collocations, and avoid repeating “best way to provide enough homes” when a concise reference would work.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentence forms, including “Although it is also true that…” and sentences beginning with “To cite an example,” but the range remains limited and complex structures are often faulty. In “everyone should not afford this,” the modal construction is incorrect; “many people live together” would also require a different verb form from “many peoples live together.” The sentence beginning “Although” is a fragment because it lacks a main clause, and “Build small homes in different cities” is an imperative rather than a complete statement of your proposal. These errors sometimes make the intended meaning unclear. Practise complete clauses, subject–verb agreement, and accurate modal patterns, while checking each sentence for a clear subject and main verb.

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

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