Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-13

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 6.5)

Globally, several cities and urban areas are grappling with the issue of providing adequate and affordable housing facilities for people. This led to some individuals suggesting that the best way out is to contruct high rise apartment buildings, which I fully support as the ideal solution to accommodate dwellers in mega cities.

First and foremost, many of these cities are experiencing housing shortages due to overpopulation. This is because, a lot of youths and graduates have migrated from the countryside to the urban areas in search of greener pastures. As a result, most of of them end up stranded, since they are unable to find a room to rent. Hence, cities like cities Barcelona have constructed enough tall apartment blocks to address the issue.

Secondly, it will be a useful appraoch to maximize the limited land available for residential homes. Many capital cities, like Accra in Ghana, do not have the expansive landscape to allow for individuals to build their own detached homes. Therefore, the best way to increase housing options for the mass population is to put up alot of storey buildings across the length and breadth of the area. This will be a strategic way to accommodate majority of rent seekers.

However, in as much as relying on this approach is beneficial to the abled bodied working class, it may not be suitable for some people with mobility issues. For example, the aged and those who are generally afraid of height may find it difficult to access their apartments easily, even though modern storey buildings are being fitted with elevators.

In conclusion, despite the isolated cases of older people who are unable to use long stairs to enter their rooms, providing tall apartment structures remain one of the innovative ways for big cities to house the overpopulated and maximixe land use.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have clearly addressed the prompt and maintained a consistent position throughout the essay. Your arguments regarding population density and land management are relevant and well-supported with examples like Barcelona and Accra. The counter-argument regarding accessibility for the elderly is a good addition, showing a balanced view. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting ideas are developed with more depth; for instance, you could explain how high-rise buildings specifically impact the social or economic infrastructure of a city beyond just providing space. Overall, the response is well-focused and directly answers the question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'Secondly', and 'However' to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases, as some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Additionally, ensure that referencing is always clear; for example, in the second paragraph, the phrase 'most of of them' is slightly repetitive and the reference to 'cities like cities Barcelona' contains a minor error that disrupts the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. Phrases like 'grappling with the issue', 'mega cities', and 'strategic way' are used effectively. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and informal choices, such as 'put up alot of' (which is too informal) and 'rent seekers' (which is not the standard collocation for people looking for housing). Expanding your use of more precise, academic collocations would help elevate your score. Spelling is generally accurate, though 'appraoch' and 'maximixe' are noted as slips.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several error-free sentences, and your meaning is consistently clear. However, there are some recurring grammatical slips, such as 'most of of them' (repetition), 'the majority of rent seekers' (missing article), and 'providing tall apartment structures remain' (subject-verb agreement error: 'structures' should be 'remains'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching the higher bands where the majority of sentences must be error-free.

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

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