Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks I totally agree with the given statement.

One major advantage of a tall apartment is that they can provide homes for large number of people in a small area which is quiet beneficial for our earth and the space left can be used to plant trees. Since land in major cities are really very expensive and limited, building upwards is often more practical than expanding area. In addition buildings are often located near markets, hospitals, schools, workplaces and local transport which makes our daily life convenient for residents.

On the other hand, relying only on buildings may increase population in particular area and area may become overcrowded and will put pressure on public services such as roads, water supply and healthcare. Furthermore, people living in high-rise apartments may have limited access to green spaces, which can negatively affect their quality of life. Also buildings should have fire exit for safety. Therefore, government should also develop suburban areas and improve transportation options so that people have more housing options. I believe if government looks after the services for humans in these areas it will positively improve way of living.

In conclusion, I believe that building tall apartment blocks is one of the most effective ways to solve housing shortages in large cities. Nevertheless, this approach should be combined with good infrastructure and balanced urban development to ensure that cities remain comfortable and sustainable places to live.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that building tall apartment blocks is an effective solution while acknowledging the need for balanced development. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the mention of land scarcity and the impact on public services. However, the development is somewhat brief; for instance, the point about fire safety is introduced but not fully integrated into the argument. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your supporting points with more specific examples or deeper analysis of the trade-offs involved in urban planning.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'One major advantage', 'In addition', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. However, the transition between the benefits and the drawbacks could be smoother, and some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to minor punctuation issues. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'urban development', 'infrastructure', and 'housing shortages'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'quiet beneficial' (should be 'quite') and 'land in major cities are' (subject-verb agreement). While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common academic vocabulary to express your ideas with greater sophistication and nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several recurring grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('have fire exit' instead of 'have a fire exit') and subject-verb agreement issues ('land... are' instead of 'land... is'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in the opening sentence where a full stop is missing. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy will help improve your score.

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

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