Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

It is often argued that governments should prioritise education when allocating public funds, whereas others believe that healthcare deserves greater financial support. Although both sectors are essential for the development of society, I believe that governments should maintain a reasonable balance between the two, since a healthy and educated population is fundamental to long-term national progress.

On the one hand, there are compelling reasons why education should receive substantial government funding. A well-funded education system can provide students with qualified teachers, modern facilities and access to advanced learning resources. This enables young people to develop the knowledge and practical skills required to participate effectively in the labour market. Moreover, investment in education can have long-term economic benefits because highly educated workers are generally more productive and innovative.

On the other hand, healthcare is equally important because a country’s economic and social development depends heavily on the health of its population. Adequate funding can improve hospitals, increase access to essential medicines and enable governments to employ more qualified medical professionals. In addition, preventive healthcare can reduce the prevalence of serious diseases and lower the long-term financial burden on both individuals and governments. For instance, investing in vaccination programmes and regular health screening can identify illnesses at an early stage, making treatment more effective and affordable. Consequently, governments should not neglect healthcare simply because education offers substantial long-term benefits.

In conclusion, while education can create a skilled workforce and promote economic development, healthcare plays an equally important role in maintaining a productive and stable society. In my view, neither sector should be considered more important in all circumstances.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0

The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for an opinion on whether tall apartment blocks are the best way to provide housing in large cities. However, the student has written an essay about the allocation of government funds between education and healthcare. Because the response does not address the prompt at all, it fails to meet the requirements of the task. While the writing itself is coherent and grammatically sound, the failure to address the specific question provided means it cannot be awarded a passing score for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

Despite being off-topic, the essay is well-structured. It follows a clear, logical progression with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Consequently' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is logical and serves the development of the argument well. The flow of information is smooth, and the reader can easily follow the writer's line of reasoning, even though that reasoning is irrelevant to the actual prompt.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The vocabulary is varied and appropriate for an academic context. The student demonstrates a good command of topic-specific language, such as 'allocate public funds', 'labour market', 'preventive healthcare', and 'financial burden'. The word choice is precise and natural, showing a flexible range that allows for clear expression. There are no significant errors in collocation or spelling, and the language used is sophisticated enough to meet the criteria for a high band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay displays a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with subordinate clauses (e.g., 'Although both sectors are essential...', '...because highly educated workers are generally more productive...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over punctuation and tense usage is excellent. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of grammatical accuracy, which is consistent with the requirements for a high band score.

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

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