Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20

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)

The problem of housing shortage in huge cities is increasing day by day due to the rapid population growth. Some people believe that building tall apartment blocks will be the best solution for this problem. I partly agree with this view, although there are some drawbacks as well to consider.

The main advantage of tall apartment blocks is that they can accommodate a large number of people in a relatively small area of land. In large cities like Lahore, Karachi and Dubai, land is very expensive and limited. By building upwards instead of outwards, Governments can provide homes for thousands of families without using more land. Another benefit is that apartments are often cheaper than to build houses for individuals. They can also be located near schools, workplace, banks, hospitals, which makes daily life more convenient for residents.

However, there are some disadvantages for tall apartment blocks as well. Firstly, the lack of privacy, which affects people's mental health. Tall buildings also require strong infrastructure such as elevators. Also there can be many problems like water supply system, waste management, and no open-air garages. Some people prefer to live in houses with gardens, and forcing everyone in the apartment may not be the best approach.

To conclude, while tall apartment blocks are an effective way to provide enough homes in large cities due to limited space and cost efficiency, they should not be the only solution. A combination of high-rise apartments and other types of housing would be more balanced and suitable for different needs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that is maintained throughout. You have identified both the benefits and drawbacks of tall apartment blocks, which demonstrates a balanced approach. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the mention of specific cities like Lahore and Dubai. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the 'drawbacks' section by explaining the social or psychological impact of high-density living in more detail. Overall, the response is well-focused and directly answers the question asked.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'The main advantage', 'Another benefit', and 'However' to link your points effectively. While the structure is sound, some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow. For instance, the transition between the benefits and the drawbacks is functional but could be smoother to better connect the contrasting arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'accommodate a large number of people', 'cost efficiency', and 'rapid population growth' are used appropriately. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and repetitive phrasing, such as 'cheaper than to build houses' (which should be 'cheaper than building houses'). To improve, try to incorporate more varied collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a higher level of control over the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'forcing everyone in the apartment' (should be 'into') and 'workplace, banks, hospitals' (missing articles or conjunctions). Punctuation is generally accurate, but there are occasional errors in sentence construction. To achieve a higher band, focus on increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement and preposition usage.

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

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