Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-03

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)

With the rapid increase in population, constructing tall apartment blocks has become the most viable solution to accommodate residents in metropolitan cities. I firmly agree with the idea of building multi-story structures, as they create opportunities for socialisation while simultaneously allowing people to purchase homes at more affordable rates.

On the one hand, people can purchase apartments at affordable rates because each floor follows the same layout, which eventually lowers the labour and raw material cost. Additionally these structures provide various amenities like basketball courts and gardens for walking. These amenities are useful for the families having children and grandparents. For example, elderly people can come for a walk with their grandchildren and children can play in the garden while enjoying fresh air. Furthermore, apartments provide advanced security for residents, by allowing only approved guests in the society.

On the other hand, it opens an opportunity for the residents to socialise with other people. It gives an individual an opportunity to experience different cultures and celebrate different festivals. For example, international immigrants can experience Indian culture by interacting with people and participating in their local festivasl. Along with this, people can also experience various cuisines, both domestic and international. Young people can get inspiration from one cuisine and prepare their own unique dish consisting of various combinations.

Overall, building tall apartments in cities not only provides homes at affordable rates but also create an opportunity to talk to other people, to learn about their culture and local cuisine.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of tall apartment blocks. However, the essay falls slightly short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments regarding affordability and socialization are relevant, they are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the discussion on amenities and social interaction could have been expanded with more sophisticated analysis or specific real-world examples to fully meet the requirements of a higher band. Because the word count is under the limit, the development of the response is constrained, leading to a lower score in this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Furthermore' are used to guide the reader through the arguments. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. The referencing is generally clear, but the logical flow between the benefits of socialization and the specific examples provided (like cooking) is somewhat tenuous. Overall, the structure is logical and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a mid-range band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'metropolitan,' 'multi-story structures,' and 'amenities.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'festivasl' (spelling error) and 'talk to other people' (which is a bit simplistic). To achieve a higher score, the student should incorporate more precise, academic vocabulary and avoid repetitive phrasing. The current range is sufficient to convey meaning but lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the grammar is generally understandable, there are several errors in punctuation and article usage, such as 'the society' and 'the families having children.' Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'elderly people can come for a walk with their grandchildren and children can play in the garden.' While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring greater accuracy in subject-verb agreement and article usage would improve this score significantly.

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.