Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-09

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)

Government is likely to build tall apartment buildings in large cities to provide enough homes. I firmly agree with this statement. In this essay, I will explain the topic and give examples for support my argument.

Nowadays, the cost of living increase a lot in large cities, Therefore, everyone cannot afford to buy a property or construct house because the material is very expensive. That is why this is a very good idea to build tall buildings and provide houses so that a middle class can also afford a better lifestyle.

The one more reason is that apartment buildings required less area than private properties so government should provide more buildings like software houses, public schools and hospitals on that land. Furthermore, the students who lived in the same apartment, they can go to their schools on the same transport so it can reduce traffic in cities and traffic issues can reduce. Job person can also reach their apartment by using same transport. For example: four person can sit in a car and they can reach their destination sitting in a single car and the next day they will switch the car, by using this method people can save their money because the cost of fuel will be divided on four individuals and it can also solve the traffic problems. As the traffic reduce in large cities the rate of accidents will be automatically decrease.

IN conclusion, it is the best way to provide enough homes by building tall apartments. It can reduce the cost of living.

AI examiner evaluation

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 development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention cost of living and land efficiency, the arguments are not fully extended. For instance, the example regarding carpooling is somewhat tangential to the core issue of housing provision and feels like a digression into traffic management rather than a direct support for high-density living. To improve, ensure that every point made directly reinforces the main argument about housing, and provide more depth to your reasoning rather than listing multiple disparate points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'The one more reason is that' or 'Job person can also reach'. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the logical progression within paragraphs is hindered by repetitive phrasing. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition') and ensure that referencing (using pronouns like 'this' or 'these') clearly points back to the intended noun.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'good idea' and 'provide enough homes'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'Job person' instead of 'commuters' or 'employees', and 'construct house' instead of 'construct housing'. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to urban planning and economics, and work on using words in their correct grammatical form (e.g., 'the cost of living increases' instead of 'increase').

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 impede flow. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('cost of living increase', 'buildings required'), article usage ('the middle class', 'the government'), and pluralization ('four person'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed accurately without missing auxiliary verbs or incorrect tense usage.

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

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