Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-05

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 6.0)

Land is a limited resource which is being extensively used. Deforestation is taking place on a large scale to set up industries, build houses and other buildings to meet the needs of humans. The ever-increasing world population raises a concern for housing especially in metropolitan cities since land is not readily available. In this essay, we will discuss the best possible way to provide sufficient houses in large cities.

Lack of houses in cities causes people to live in the outskirts of cities, sometimes even an hour or so away from their school or workplace. I entirely agree that tall buildings are a great solution to provide housing facilities to people in crowded cities. Firstly, apartment blocks are compact and take up way less space than traditional homes do. Since they are built vertically unlike houses, they can be home to ten to fifteen times the number of people living in houses. In addition to this, apartments also help in protecting the environment by reducing land requirements and thus prevent further deforestation. They also leave more space for building parks and community centres in the locality to improve the air quality in large cities which suffer badly from pollution.

Furthermore, the positive effects of tall apartments may be seen in almost all cities. For example, in Chandigarh, around a decade ago, overpopulation became a major concern which consequentially led to a large number of people constantly finding homes to rent. The builders then set up tall apartment buildings and ever since then, housing has not been an issue in Chandigarh. Moreover, it offers excellent living spaces along with a really lush green environment.

To conclude, with rapid urbanisation and population increasing substantially, tall apartments offer a sustainable solution for the need of new houses. The pros of living in flats make them an appealing choice for city dwellers.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have clearly addressed the prompt by taking a definitive stance in favor of tall apartment blocks. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant, particularly the environmental benefits and the efficiency of vertical space. However, the development of these ideas could be more sophisticated. For instance, while you mention the example of Chandigarh, the explanation of how tall buildings specifically solved the housing crisis there is somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, consider exploring potential counter-arguments or addressing the social implications of high-density living more deeply to provide a more comprehensive and balanced academic discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition to this', 'Furthermore', and 'To conclude' to guide the reader through your arguments. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct points. To improve further, try to vary your cohesive devices slightly more, as some of the transitions are quite standard. Additionally, ensure that the link between sentences is always tight to avoid any minor mechanical feel in the flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas with precision. Phrases like 'ever-increasing world population', 'limited resource', and 'sustainable solution' are used appropriately. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some choices could be more academic. For example, 'way less space' is slightly informal for an academic essay. While your word choice is generally accurate and supports your arguments well, incorporating more precise collocations or academic synonyms would elevate the sophistication of your writing and help you achieve a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You show a good command of sentence structures, utilizing a mix of simple and complex sentences. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control of punctuation is generally sound. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'the need of new houses' (which should be 'the need for new houses'). You successfully use complex structures to express cause and effect, such as 'Since they are built vertically unlike houses, they can be home to...'. To reach a higher band, aim for a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, while maintaining your current level of accuracy.

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

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