Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11

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 8.5)

The rapid urbanization of large cities worldwide has made housing affordability and availability one of the most pressing socio-economic challenges of our time. While some argue that constructing tall apartment blocks is the ultimate solution to accommodate growing urban populations, others believe this approach creates severe environmental and social issues. In my view, while high-rise buildings are a necessary component of urban housing strategy, they should not be seen as a standalone solution, and a balanced approach combining high-density and medium-density development is far more effective.

High-rise buildings offer undeniable advantages in densely populated urban centers, primarily due to spatial efficiency and infrastructure optimization:

Land Efficiency: Cities face a finite amount of space. Building vertically allows developers to house significantly more people on a smaller footprint compared to sprawling suburban developments. Cities like Hong Kong and Singapore successfully utilize high-rises to manage millions of residents within compact geographic boundaries.

Infrastructure Cost-Effectiveness: Delivering essential services such as water, electricity, public transport, and waste management is far more cost-efficient in high-density areas. Pushing infrastructure outward to sprawling suburbs is expensive and resource-heavy, whereas tall buildings concentrate populations near existing networks.

Combating Urban Sprawl: Unchecked horizontal expansion destroys surrounding natural habitats, increases commuting distances, and worsens traffic congestion. High-rises help contain the urban footprint, preserving green belts around cities.

The Drawbacks and Limitations of High-Rises

Despite their efficiency, relying exclusively on tall apartment blocks presents significant drawbacks that negatively impact the quality of urban life:

Social Isolation and Well-being: High-rise living can disconnect residents from street-level communities. Studies often link living in isolated high-rises—particularly families with children—to higher rates of social isolation and a lack of green spaces.

Strain on Local Infrastructure: While centralized infrastructure is theoretically efficient, older cities often struggle when historic neighborhoods are suddenly redeveloped with mega-towers. This leads to overloaded public transit systems, congested local roads, and strained school capacities.

Environmental and Aesthetic Concerns: Tall glass-and-steel towers often consume massive amounts of energy for heating, cooling, and elevator operations. Furthermore, they can drastically alter a city's architectural heritage and block natural sunlight from reaching public streets.

Rather than viewing tall apartment blocks as the only or best way to provide homes, city planners should adopt a "missing middle" housing model. This approach combines high-rises in strategic transit hubs with medium-density housing—such as townhouses, duplexes, and low-rise apartments—in residential neighborhoods.

For instance, European cities like Vienna have maintained high standards of housing affordability and livability by focusing on mixed-density zoning, extensive public housing, and community-centric design rather than relying solely on skyscrapers.

In conclusion, while tall apartment blocks are a crucial tool in addressing housing shortages in large, space-constrained cities, they are not a silver bullet. A sustainable urban future requires a diversified housing strategy that integrates vertical development with medium-density neighborhoods, robust public transport, and ample green spaces to ensure cities remain both habitable and humane.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses the prompt by taking a nuanced position that high-rise buildings are necessary but not a standalone solution. The argument is well-developed, with clear supporting points for both the advantages (land efficiency, infrastructure cost-effectiveness) and the drawbacks (social isolation, infrastructure strain). The inclusion of the 'missing middle' concept provides a sophisticated, well-supported alternative that demonstrates a deep understanding of urban planning. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the arguments presented.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the use of headings—while unconventional for a standard essay—serves to structure the argument clearly. Cohesive devices such as 'Despite their efficiency,' 'Rather than viewing,' and 'For instance' are used naturally and effectively to link ideas. The transition between the benefits and drawbacks is smooth, and the overall flow is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

The vocabulary is precise, sophisticated, and well-suited to the academic context. The writer uses a wide range of topic-specific terminology such as 'urbanization,' 'spatial efficiency,' 'infrastructure optimization,' 'urban sprawl,' and 'mixed-density zoning.' The collocations are natural, and there is a clear awareness of style. There are no noticeable errors in word choice, and the language is used with a high degree of flexibility and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The essay demonstrates a wide range of complex structures, including conditional clauses, participial phrases, and well-constructed compound-complex sentences. Punctuation is used accurately to manage the flow of information. The grammar is highly accurate, with virtually no errors throughout the text. The control over sentence structure is sophisticated, contributing to the overall clarity and professional tone of the response.

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