Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14

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)

In contemporary society, there has been a consumption that constructing residential skyscrapers is the best approach to provide homes in thriving cities. Admittedly, some people may argue that this approach offers numerous homes in a small area, but this argument is not entirely compelling because I believe that building houses in a suburban area is a better method.

The primary reason why I support this view is that building high-rises is the only way to provide homes to the growing population. It stems from the fact that skyscrapers help to save spaces. Therefore, it enables to construct other buildings such as shopping centers and department stores. A clear example of this is New York city has already tried this approach, and it has been constructing other types of buildings to attract tourists.

On the other hand, this argument appears unconvincing because people can modernize the suburban areas and move to them. This is primarily due to the purpose of alleviating the pressure on the thriving cities. For instance, population of the cities, which are suffering because of overpopulation, will decline considerably. Consequently, not only the problems caused by overpopulation such as traffic gridlock and congestion may reduce significantly but also the demographics may become more even.

In conclusion, although it is the one and only way to deal with providing homes to growing the number of citizens, I firmly believe that developing the suburban areas and infrastructure, and moving to them is the best solution. Plus, it may help to reduce the pressure on the city.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt, but the development of ideas is inconsistent. You present a position, but your arguments are somewhat contradictory. For instance, in the second paragraph, you argue that skyscrapers are the 'only way' to provide homes, yet you immediately pivot to arguing against them in the third paragraph. This makes your overall stance confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure your supporting arguments consistently align with your stated position. While you provide examples like New York, the explanation of how these examples support your argument could be more detailed and analytical to fully develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Consequently.' However, the logical progression between the second and third paragraphs is weak because the arguments seem to clash rather than build upon each other. Additionally, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, focus on ensuring that each paragraph flows logically from the previous one and that your linking words are used to connect ideas more naturally rather than just acting as signposts at the start of sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'contemporary society,' 'alleviating the pressure,' and 'demographics.' However, there are some instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'there has been a consumption that' (likely meant 'assumption') and 'growing the number of citizens.' These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To achieve a higher score, focus on using collocations more accurately and expanding your range of academic vocabulary to express complex ideas with more nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'it enables to construct' (should be 'it enables the construction of' or 'it allows us to construct') and 'population of the cities... will decline' (missing an article). While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the reader's understanding. To improve, pay closer attention to verb patterns and article usage. Incorporating a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, while maintaining accuracy, would help elevate your score in this criterion.

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

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