Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-07-30

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 7.5)

The issue of insufficient homes in big cities has been a topic for debate these days. Many people believe that the most beneficial approach to this problem is to build more apartment blocks. But I firmly disagree with the statement because I believe that the core issue is not insufficient homes but rather low incomes and high cost of living.

The reason why constructing huge apartments won't solve the issue is because the problem is not insufficient housing but rather low wages for workers. Governments invest the most in huge cities and the number of houses does not seem to be the problem. There are more than enough houses in most major cities, but the issue is that they are unaffordable for the majority. In big crowded cities like New York, there has been huge investments made by the government to provide housing for everyone but homelessness remains a major concern. This proves that constructing tall buildings will not provide more houses if they are unaffordable for common people.

I believe that the best approach to provide residences in big cities is fair pay for people and reduced housing prices. Reducing prices of existing apartment and homes means that more people will be able to rent or buy them. Additionally, instead of investing large sums of money in constructing apartments, the government should use those to generate more jobs and provide fair pay to the workers. Despite people working in huge factories that earn profit in billions, workers are still underpaid relative to the wealth they generate and are exploited for their labour. People should be paid according to their needs and enough so they can easily afford a residence because housing is a human right. For example, homelessness remains a substantial issue in New York not because of unavailable housing but because of high inflation and unemployment. If housing becomes cheaper and people start getting paid fairly, then housing could be provided to almost everyone.

Conclusively, in my perspective the best way to provide housing for people is to lower the cost of living and create more jobs. Governments do not need to build more apartments because insufficient homes is not the issue, but unaffordability is.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have clearly stated your position and maintained it throughout the essay. You address the prompt by challenging the premise that building tall blocks is the best solution, instead arguing for economic reforms. While your argument is logical, it is somewhat one-sided. To reach a higher band, you could acknowledge the potential benefits of high-density housing (e.g., land efficiency) before refuting them. This would provide a more balanced discussion. Your ideas are well-supported with examples like the situation in New York, which helps to ground your argument in reality. Overall, you have addressed all parts of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'Additionally,' 'Despite,' and 'Conclusively' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly repetitive, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be more sophisticated to better connect the critique of the current situation with your proposed solutions. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'insufficient homes,' 'unaffordable,' and 'exploited for their labour' are used correctly and fit the academic context. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'huge cities' or 'huge investments,' which are a bit simplistic. To improve, try to use more varied adjectives to describe scale and impact. You avoid spelling errors and your vocabulary is generally accurate, which allows your ideas to be communicated clearly without any confusion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control of punctuation is generally good. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'insufficient homes is not the issue' (should be 'are not') and 'use those to generate' (where 'those' lacks a clear antecedent). However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. You show a good grasp of complex grammar, such as conditional structures ('If housing becomes cheaper...'), which helps to elevate the quality of your writing.

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