Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10

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)

It is often argued that, the best possible way to meet the accommodation needs of citizens in urban areas is to build tall apartments. I partially agree with this statement. This essay will present reasons to support my opinion regarding this argument.

Nowadays, people are constantly moving to the larger cities for amenities such as higher education, better job prospects and advanced medical facilities. As large proportion of people are shifting into the urban areas, it causes several potential problems, ranging from a shortage in job opportunities, fewer accommodations, higher accommodation rates, and more competition for other basic facilities. Rapid decline in the number of houses and apartments is one of the most crucial aspects of the larger cities around the globe. Therefore, it is widely believed that by constructing taller buildings in the cities is the critical step towards providing homes to everyone.

In my perspective, it is a good step to meet the accommodation needs of the citizens but it could cause other potential problems. For instance, New York city, it is one of the cities having greater number of skyscrapers in the world. Still there are many homeless people out there. Also, constructing taller building has some drawbacks such as they block the sunlight, more destruction could happen in case of natural disasters as compared to shorter buildings also there will be more pollution and noise and less natural scenery. I believe government should pay attention to provide basic public amenities in rural areas as well to stop the permanent movement of people to cities. SO, I THINK ITS NOT HAT EFFE

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses the prompt by expressing a partial agreement, but the development is inconsistent. While you identify the benefits of high-rise buildings, the counter-arguments are somewhat generic. The conclusion is incomplete, as the text ends abruptly with 'SO, I THINK ITS NOT HAT EFFE', which prevents a full summary of your position. To improve, ensure you fully develop your arguments with specific examples and provide a complete, coherent conclusion that reinforces your main thesis. The current response lacks the depth required for a higher band, as the final point is left unfinished and the overall argument remains underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow is hindered by the abrupt ending. You use some cohesive devices like 'For instance' and 'Therefore', which help link ideas, but the transition between the problem of urbanization and the solution of tall buildings is a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a proper concluding paragraph significantly impacts the overall coherence of the piece. To improve, focus on ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your final paragraph provides a cohesive summary of your arguments rather than trailing off.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accommodation needs', 'job prospects', and 'natural disasters'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'shifting into the urban areas' (moving to) and 'provide basic public amenities' (improve/invest in). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. Ensure you proofread to avoid informal slips like 'out there' or the incomplete final sentence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'by constructing taller buildings in the cities is the critical step' (incorrect subject-verb structure) and 'New York city, it is one of the cities having greater number' (missing articles and awkward phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve your accuracy.

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

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