Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

people has opposing view about constructing tall apartment blocks is the most effective way to accommodate a growing population. I largely agree with this view, although high-rise housing should be combined with other forms of urban development.

The main advantage of tall apartment buildings is that they make efficient use of limited land. In densely populated cities, land is scarce and extremely expensive, so constructing vertically allows thousands of people to live in a relatively small area. This can also help prevent uncontrolled urban expansion into surrounding agricultural and natural areas. For example, instead of building hundreds of separate houses on the outskirts of a city, a few high-rise complexes can provide accommodation for a similar number of residents while requiring considerably less land. Another benefit is that high-density housing can make public services more efficient. When large numbers of residents live close together, governments can provide public transport, schools, healthcare facilities and other essential services more conveniently. Moreover, well-designed apartment complexes can include parks, shopping areas and recreational facilities, creating a more sustainable urban environment.

However, I do not believe that high-rise apartments should be the only solution. If cities become excessively dependent on tall buildings, they may face problems such as overcrowding, traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure and a lack of green spaces.

In conclusion, tall apartment blocks are an effective way to address the shortage of housing in large cities because they maximise land use and support efficient public services. Nevertheless, they should form part of a broader urban-planning strategy rather than being regarded as the sole solution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task and maintains a clear position throughout. You have provided relevant arguments regarding land efficiency and public service provision, which are well-supported by logical reasoning. The inclusion of a counter-argument and a balanced conclusion demonstrates a good level of development. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the 'other forms of urban development' mentioned in your introduction, as this would provide a more comprehensive answer to the prompt's requirement to discuss the extent of your agreement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central focus, and cohesive devices such as 'The main advantage', 'Moreover', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. The transition between the benefits of high-rise living and the potential drawbacks is smooth. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is coherent, making the argument easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Terms such as 'densely populated', 'uncontrolled urban expansion', 'sustainable urban environment', and 'urban-planning strategy' are used appropriately. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the academic context well, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate the score to the 8.0 or 9.0 level. The word choice is natural and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'If cities become excessively dependent on tall buildings, they may face problems...'. However, there is a noticeable grammatical error in the opening sentence: 'people has opposing view', which should be 'people have opposing views'. Despite this, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and syntax is generally strong. A wider variety of complex structures would further enhance the score.

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

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