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 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 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 compromise the quality of people's lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. You argue against the idea that tall apartment blocks are the 'best' solution, proposing alternative urban planning strategies instead. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, particularly the example of Shanghai. However, the development of the alternative solutions (e.g., 'supportive policies' or 'encouraging people to move back to their hometown') is slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific detail on how these policies would function in practice to solve the housing crisis, rather than just mentioning them as general concepts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'First and foremost', 'Additionally', and 'On the other hand', which help guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main points of your discussion. The progression of ideas is clear, though some transitions between sentences could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the flow. Overall, the structure is sound and supports the development of your argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'cosmopolitan city', 'accommodate their citizens', and 'balancing the population distribution' are used effectively. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'constructing without limit' (which could be 'unrestricted construction') and 'the reason that governments want' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, there is room to incorporate more precise academic collocations to elevate the tone of the essay further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures throughout the essay. Most sentences are clear and error-free, which ensures that communication is never impeded. There are occasional minor grammatical slips, such as 'the reasons why we need more skyscrapers initially-cities have to be...' where the punctuation and clause connection could be tighter. Additionally, some phrasing is slightly repetitive. However, your control over complex structures is generally good, and the errors present are infrequent and do not detract from the overall clarity of your argument.

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

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