Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-01

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)

Some people think that problems regarding housing shortages can be best solved through high-rise building constructions. However, I highly disagree with this view.

I would argue that building tall apartment blocks in the city would only add to the prevailing congestion that is already being experienced in most urban communities. For instance, the increase in population growth will in turn cause a number of transport vehicles to rise significantly, thereby culminating in heavier traffic and toxic emissions released in the environment. Pedestrian access will also be reduced to some extent as these buildings will occupy most free-spaces along with the increase in more industrial facilities to cater the. needs of the concerned households. As such, one can expect that both the environment and the people’s way of life will be heavily compromised should this came to picture.

In another perspective, this proposition merely offer a temporarily solution that would otherwise become problematic in the society in the long run. Tall infrastructures are often the most vulnerable in the event of an earthquake and other calamities. For instance, news on recent earthquakes in Batangas City mostly feature large buildings as the most affected establishments due to its shaky foundations. Consequently, high-rise flats are not economically sustainable as they often require rather expensive materials to have a solid structure and are also costly to maintain.

In conclusion, I believe that solutions to housing predicaments in the city cannot be reflected in high-rise condominium projects as they can compromise the environment, people’s quality of life, as well as the economic picture in our society. Instead, I would argue that governments must focus on reinforcing policies and promoting programs that can rather address the root cause of this societal drawback by means of creating more job opportunities, strengthening relocation projects in more sustainable communities, and addressing population issues, to name a few.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have clearly stated your position against the prompt and maintained it throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, particularly regarding the environmental impact and the structural risks of high-rise buildings. You have addressed the prompt by providing reasons for your disagreement and suggesting alternative solutions in the conclusion. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are more specific; for instance, while you mention Batangas City, expanding slightly on how the infrastructure failed would strengthen the argument. Overall, the response is well-focused and addresses 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 'However', 'For instance', 'Consequently', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from environmental concerns to safety and economic sustainability. While the structure is sound, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the logical flow is consistent throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas with precision. Phrases like 'prevailing congestion', 'economically sustainable', and 'housing predicaments' show a good command of topic-specific language. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'cater the. needs' (punctuation error) and 'this came to picture' (idiomatic error), but these do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate more nuanced collocations and avoid slightly awkward phrasing. Your vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear expression of complex arguments.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There is good control over grammar, though some errors persist, such as 'this proposition merely offer' (subject-verb agreement) and 'should this came to picture' (tense error). Despite these occasional slips, the majority of your sentences are clear and error-free. The punctuation is generally accurate, though the stray period in 'cater the. needs' is a minor distraction. Your ability to construct complex arguments shows a good grasp of English grammar, and the errors present do not interfere with the overall meaning of your essay.

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