Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-06

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)

In this period of modernity, many people believe that building tall apartment blocks is the best way to provide housing in large cities. It could be because of various reasons due to which housing spaces are getting less day by day. In my opinion, I strongly agree with this notion and my opinion will be discussed in further paragraphs with a suitable conclusion.

Supporting my agreement to the given statement, I firmly believe that population has played a significant role in thinking so, it is because of population finding suitable housing spaces is stressful. To cite an example, more people can live in a apartment than a house even though they are constructed in the same space of land due to more number of apartment blocks. Moreover, role of costing. To elaborate, purchasing or constructing a house will always cost more than living at rent in an apartment block. As a result the occupation of housing spaces will reduce gradually and help in sustainable development.

Explaining some of the another supporting points in against this statement, is true that some of the population does not want to live in flats as they want more privacy and security which lacks in apartments as compared to self owned houses. As a result even if building tall apartment blocks in large cities is a solid plan but it also has its own demerits as well.

In conclusion, although the given notion has some disadvantages but the positive side of it outweighs the demerits. I believe that aforementioned points are strongly supporting my view point in favour of constructing tall apartments in large cities to provide housing.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention population density and cost, the arguments are brief and lack depth. For instance, the point about 'costing' is underdeveloped and could benefit from a more detailed explanation of how high-density living impacts urban infrastructure or affordability. The counter-argument in the third paragraph is relevant but feels slightly disconnected from your overall stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully extended with specific examples or logical consequences rather than just stating the ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'To elaborate', and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and some transitions are awkward, such as 'Explaining some of the another supporting points in against this statement'. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, which disrupts the logical progression of your argument. Improving the variety and naturalness of your linking words will help the essay read more smoothly and improve the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'sustainable development' and 'housing spaces'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'role of costing' instead of 'economic factors' or 'cost-effectiveness'. There are also minor errors in collocation, such as 'lacks in apartments' (should be 'is lacking in apartments'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning and housing to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'a apartment' (should be 'an apartment'), 'more number of' (should be 'a greater number of'), and 'some of the another supporting points'. These errors do not typically impede communication, but they are noticeable. To achieve a higher score, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately. Proofreading for these recurring minor errors would significantly enhance the quality of your writing.

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

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