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)

Nowadays, the growing population is a matter of concern for almost all the countries and providing them place of living is becoming a severe issue. Some people believe that building tall apartments may be a best solution for the problem. However, I also agree this statement as it can offer more houses in small area.

The first and the foremost, almost all the countries are now experiencing the problem of growing population and providing them a place for dwelling is also a major problem. To solve this, people believe that building a high-storeyed building can be a best way to tackle this problem as, larger cities have low space compared to rural area. So, construction of a tall apartment will become beneficial for providing more houses in the lesser areas. Moreover, it offers a wide range of amenities including gardens and club houses which are not available in most of the societies. For instance, in a survey of the USA, it was noted that there were the highest number of apartments compared to normal houses.

To counter this, there are certain disadvantages for construction of such big sky scrappers. This includes, the risk of damaging the lives due to the natural calamities such as Earthquake or Tsunami. Further, it blocks the sunlight which is essential for the plants on ground.

To summarise, there are more benefits of building a tall apartment such as tackling with geographical limitations as well as for having facilities and neighbourhood. Though there are some disadvantages, the use of modern technology may help to reduce it. Hence, it is a best way to provide enough homes in large cities by building tall apartment blocks.

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 the benefits of tall buildings, such as space efficiency and amenities, the explanation remains superficial. The counter-argument regarding natural disasters and sunlight is relevant but lacks depth. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples or logical reasoning to support your claims. For instance, instead of a vague mention of a survey in the USA, you could discuss how high-density living reduces urban sprawl or infrastructure costs. The conclusion restates your position well, but the overall development is slightly repetitive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'The first and the foremost', 'Moreover', and 'To counter this' to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or unnatural, such as 'The first and the foremost' (which should be 'First and foremost'). Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, in the final paragraph, you refer to 'it' when discussing disadvantages, but the antecedent is not perfectly established. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow, but the flow could be improved with more varied linking words and smoother transitions between sentences.

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 'natural calamities', 'geographical limitations', and 'high-storeyed'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'sky scrappers' (should be 'skyscrapers') and 'providing them place of living' (should be 'providing them with a place to live'). The range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat words like 'problem' and 'building' multiple times. To improve, try to use more precise synonyms and collocations to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.

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 'I also agree this statement' (should be 'I also agree with this statement') and 'a best solution' (should be 'the best solution'). There are also issues with articles and pluralization, such as 'in the lesser areas'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without missing articles or auxiliary verbs.

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.