Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-15

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)

Nowadays population is increasing at an alarming rate and providing them adequate housing is the biggest challenge. Some people think that the best way to provide homes is to construct tall apartment blocks. I completely agree with this phenomenon and reasons for the same will be discussed in the forthcoming paragraphs.

To begin with, there are a myriad of reasons that constructing high-rise buildings in large cities is a good solution to provide enough reasons. Primarily, the area of land is usually limited and is very expensive, instead of building houses that covers large portion of land, high-rise buildings can be made as it obtains less area of land. In tall apartment blocks the number of houses can be made which provide accommodation to various families. Furthermore, the best place is to build apartments near the hospitals, schools and malls which help in reducing the traffic congestion.

Moreover, the plan of apartment blocks needs proper planning as it can cause number of problems if not managed properly. It may result in overcrowding, parking facilities and various other issues in services including water and electricity. High-rise buildings can cause the feeling of isolation as people do not have access to the neighbors and other outdoor spaces. Therefore, construction of tall buildings cannot be a permanent solution. The government should construct other building with essential facilities like parks and schools.

To recapitulate, after contemplating over the huge accord of thoughts and speculation, I have come to the decision that building high-rise buildings can be a good solution to provide accommodations for the increasing population and their needs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of high-rise buildings. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While the first body paragraph provides logical reasons (land efficiency and proximity to services), the second body paragraph introduces counter-arguments that contradict your stated position without effectively refuting them. This creates a lack of focus, as you spend significant space arguing against your own thesis. To improve, ensure that every paragraph directly supports your stance, perhaps by acknowledging potential drawbacks briefly and then explaining how they can be mitigated through urban planning, rather than simply listing them as negatives.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with,' 'Furthermore,' and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is problematic; the shift from supporting the argument to listing significant disadvantages feels abrupt and undermines the logical flow of your argument. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'reasons for the same' in the introduction, which is a bit mechanical. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring a smoother transition between opposing viewpoints would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'traffic congestion,' 'high-rise buildings,' and 'accommodation.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'huge accord of thoughts' in the conclusion, which is not a natural collocation. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning and housing, and focus on using collocations more accurately. Avoid overly complex phrases if you are not certain of their natural usage in English.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'instead of building houses that covers large portion of land' (subject-verb agreement and article usage) and 'the number of houses can be made' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors that occasionally interrupt the flow. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. While you attempt complex sentences, ensuring they are error-free will help you achieve a higher score. Reviewing basic sentence construction will help reduce the frequency of these minor errors.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.