Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12
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 5.0)
Some people argue that the best solution to provide citizens with sufficient accommodations in metropolises is to build skyscrapers, while others suggest that they are not beneficial. Although, there are arguments on both sides, I disagree the statement of building towering apartments.
On the one hand, the majority of large cities have marginal area to build any accommodations. As a result, they have no decision and construct towing ones rather than the 2-story house or 3. However, the skyscrapers have several benefits. For instance, they stay at tiny areas and give community a large number of homes, also can contain numerous access to services in one place. So, it can be the best solution for some countries.
On the other hand, the 5-story and 3-story houses are useful because in which there may suffer from any natural disasters such as tsunami, landslide, typhoon and flood. Besides this, the another supporting factor is the public can find what they want to get. Basically, It might be also easier to delivers who always get lost between towering apartments and the citizens can enjoy the nature by seeing breath-taking places, heritages, mountains and rivers in their leisure times. The another essential result is the green areas can be expanded greatly in lower buildings.
In conclusion, it can be concluded that however, building the skyscrapers in large cities have some benefits, the drawbacks outnumber the good ones. Therefore, I support the view that providing the citizens with a fewer-story houses overtake the towering ones.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt, but the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you present a position, the arguments are often unclear or lack logical depth. For example, the claim that low-rise buildings are safer from tsunamis and landslides is a weak argument for urban housing policy, as these disasters are location-dependent rather than building-height dependent. Furthermore, the explanation regarding 'delivers' (delivery drivers) getting lost is not a strong or relevant point for an academic essay. To improve, focus on more robust arguments such as urban density, infrastructure strain, and social isolation, and ensure these are fully supported with clear, logical reasoning rather than anecdotal or tangential points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which is a positive feature. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'the another supporting factor' and 'the another essential result' are grammatically incorrect and awkward. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, making the progression of the argument feel disjointed. While you use linking words like 'On the one hand' and 'In conclusion', the internal flow within paragraphs is hindered by repetitive sentence structures and unclear referencing. Improving the variety and accuracy of your cohesive devices will help your ideas connect more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'marginal area' instead of 'limited space', 'towing ones' instead of 'towering ones', and 'contain numerous access' which is collocated incorrectly. You rely on basic descriptors and struggle with topic-specific terminology. To reach a higher band, focus on learning collocations related to urban planning and housing, and avoid using words that do not fit the context, such as 'delivers' when referring to delivery personnel.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but errors are frequent and sometimes impede clarity. For instance, 'I disagree the statement' should be 'I disagree with the statement', and 'in which there may suffer' is syntactically incorrect. There are also issues with article usage and pluralisation, such as 'the public can find what they want to get' and 'a fewer-story houses'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these grammatical slips prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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