Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-07
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)
Some people believe that building tall apartments are the most effective way to create enough homes in large cities. I firmly agree with this as building taller apartment is cost effective for both citizens and government. It also requires less space for densely populated areas.
Firstly, in large cities the government cannot spend limitlessly to build safe houses for the citizens as the authority needs to make sure that the citizens have affordable living home. On the other hand, creating new homes with no floors will cost extra for the person renting or buying the property. So, taller buildings save the cost for the government as well as the owner of property.
Secondly, majority of the time the big cities are densely populated, due to that there is always a high demand for apartments. The best way to solve the high demand of homes would be creating taller blocks of apartments as they need smaller space on the land but creates more room for apartments. These taller apartment blocks efficiently solves the narrow spacing problem. For instance, China as a over populated country has mostly taller apartment blocks. This helps to create more living space for families and extra space on the land.
In conclusion, I firmly believe that taller buildings are essential to provide homes in the big cities. These apartment blocks efficiently creates affordable homes for families and requires less space.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of tall apartment blocks. However, the essay fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments regarding cost-effectiveness and land usage are relevant, they are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. The example of China is a good start but is not fully explained to illustrate the broader point effectively. To improve, you should expand on your supporting points with more detailed explanations or additional examples to ensure the response is sufficiently developed and meets the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' are used to signal the structure. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'due to that there is always a high demand'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'big cities', 'safe houses', and 'extra space'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'living home' instead of 'housing' or 'residence'. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning and economics, such as 'urban density', 'infrastructure', 'cost-efficient', or 'sustainable development', and ensure that your word choices are precise and natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'building tall apartments are' (should be 'is') and 'taller apartment blocks efficiently creates' (should be 'create'). Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and prepositions, such as 'as a over populated country'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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