Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

It is thought that building tall apartment blocks is the best way to provide citizens with enough homes. I would argue that a reasonable city plan together with supportive policies might be a better approach.

First and foremost, it must be realized that while tall buildings can provide more apartments, it may be at the cost of the quality of people's lives. For instance, Shanghai, a cosmopolitan city in China, has a large number of population, and this number has been increasing rapidly, as individuals want to seek better opportunities in general. Research suggests that despite the exclusive lifestyle followed by the wealthy, the majority of job seekers living in apartment blocks always complain that they do not have sufficient space and it is too inconvenient to share one or two lifts with others. Additionally, the number of population in big cities will only go up in the future; it is impossible for governments to keep constructing without limit.

On the other hand, elected officials need to remember the reasons why we need more skyscrapers initially-cities have to be able to accommodate their citizens and an increasing number of people emigrate from rural areas to find better job opportunities, which is ultimately leading to the reason that governments want to improve the general public's well-being. Therefore, we can try to find other ways to approach it, such as a better city plan and supportive policies. For example, governments can invest in improving infrastructure in other areas and introduce policies that encourage people to move back to their hometown, balancing the population distribution in different areas. This can fundamentally turn the current situation around without compromising the quality of people's lives and other plans.

In conclusion, while I agree with the importance of accommodating citizens for cities, I believe that a better city plan and policies can strike a balance unlike building tall blocks, which may compomise the quality of people's lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses the prompt clearly, taking a balanced position that acknowledges the utility of tall buildings while arguing for alternative urban planning strategies. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. For instance, the discussion on the limitations of high-rise living in Shanghai provides a concrete example to support the argument. However, the development could be slightly more nuanced; while the suggestion to 'move back to their hometown' is a valid point, it could be further explained in terms of economic feasibility to reach a higher band. Overall, the position is consistent and the main ideas are clearly presented.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'Additionally', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The progression of thought is clear, moving from the drawbacks of high-rise living to the proposal of alternative government policies. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for some precision. Phrases like 'cosmopolitan city', 'balancing the population distribution', and 'fundamentally turn the current situation around' demonstrate a good range. There are occasional minor inaccuracies, such as 'the number of population' (which should be 'the population' or 'the number of people'). However, these do not impede communication. The student attempts to use more sophisticated language, which is generally successful, though there is room for more idiomatic or precise collocations to reach the next level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over grammar, and the majority of sentences are error-free. Complex structures, such as the conditional 'while I agree... I believe that...', are used correctly. There are a few minor slips, such as the spelling error 'compomise' and the slightly awkward phrasing 'the number of population'. Punctuation is generally accurate. The grammatical control is solid, and the errors present are non-systematic and do not cause any difficulty for the reader.

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

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