Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

It is commonly debated if building skyscrapers is the most optimal way to provide adequate homes to citizens in large cities. While there can be numerous drawbacks of building apartments everywhere, but in my opinion I highly believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Given how the number of citizens increases in megacities every decade, apartments are the most efficient way to maximize the use of lands in a city. For instance, if someone builds a 2-storey in a certain landfill, only a single family or two would be able to reside there. Whereas, if the same land is used to build a 15-storey apartment with 2 units in each floor, at least 20 families could reside in the building.

Although there is a very strong argument about whether government should give permission to build such housings widely, as it can have a detrimental impact on environment and elevate air pollution. Furthermore, building tall apartment blocks can lead to cutting more trees to free up lands for development of buildings. However, if government introduce stricter regulations and scrutinize properly before handing permissions to real estate companies, this issues can be significantly mitigated. For example, introducing rules such as planting trees in the neighborhood. Other protective measure such as- reducing carbon emission and air pollution can also be taken to alleviate the environmental damage.

Overall, if certain measures can be taken by authorities with responsibility, building skyscrapers is one of the most realistic and reasonable way to provide homes for people in large cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of tall apartment blocks. The main arguments—land efficiency and environmental mitigation—are relevant. However, the development is somewhat limited. The example of the 2-storey versus 15-storey building is a good, concrete illustration of land use efficiency. The counter-argument regarding environmental impact is acknowledged, but the rebuttal is slightly generic. To reach a higher band, you could expand on how high-density living actually reduces urban sprawl or improves public transport viability, rather than just focusing on building regulations. Overall, the position is consistent throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices such as 'Given how', 'For instance', 'Whereas', and 'Furthermore' are used to guide the reader through your arguments. However, there are some minor issues with flow; for example, the second paragraph begins with 'Given how', which feels slightly abrupt. Additionally, the transition between the environmental drawbacks and the proposed solutions could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body arguments, and conclusion, which helps the reader follow your line of reasoning effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. Phrases like 'optimal way', 'detrimental impact', and 'significantly mitigated' are used appropriately. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'building such housings' (housing is uncountable) and 'in a certain landfill' (landfill is usually a waste site, not a plot of land). While you attempt some less common vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a slight reliance on simpler phrasing. To improve, focus on more precise collocations and ensure you are using uncountable nouns correctly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show good control over basic grammar, but there are persistent errors that prevent a higher score. For instance, 'While there can be numerous drawbacks... but in my opinion' is a redundant structure (using both 'While' and 'but'). There are also minor errors with articles and pluralization, such as 'if government introduce' (should be 'if the government introduces') and 'this issues' (should be 'these issues'). Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the punctuation is generally accurate throughout the text.

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

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