Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

In recent decades, the topic of providing housing to growing populations of large cities has sparked considerable debate. While some individuals argue that the best way to ensure housing is avaialble to everyone is by constructing high apartment blocks, I disagree with this statement. In my opinion expanding a city sideways is preferable, and this essay will dicuss why.

Although the approach of building tall houses is widely critised, it still offers advantages. Such buildings provide room for numerous flats taking relatively little amount of land. This is beneficial for small countries that do not possess enough land to fit both agricultural facilities and big cities. However, this approach imposes adverse effects on local infrastructure. If a tall apartment block is constructed, the population of a disctict increases dramatically. This results in the area becoming overcrowded, overburdening the district's infrastructure. For instance, the growth in popultation strains public transportation and healthcare systems, as some facilities' staff are insufficient to serve big numbers of people. This results in long waiting times and poorer quality of service, making such an approach rather harmful for the local environment.

Thus, I believe that the best solution to the pressing problem is the development of the suburbs of cities. Lower houses can still fit numbers of people, eliminating the devastsating consequences that could be caused by higher buildings. If governments allocated more funding to the development of infrastructure of cities' suburbs, more individuals would prefer purchasing estate there. Not only could this approach solve the problem of insufficient housing, but it also would distribute the masses between cities and the countryside more efficiently, alleviating the challenges linked to overpopulation.

In conclusion, I disagree with the proposed solution to the problem. Though tall buildings' erection could offer, at first glance, a simple solution to the housing challenges, it does not address the root of the problem - the disparities in population distribution. Meanwhile, the development of suburbs is exactly what could efficiently mitigate the dicussed challenges.

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 a balanced view by acknowledging the benefits of tall buildings before presenting a counter-argument focused on infrastructure strain and suburban development. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, though the argument for suburban development could be further strengthened with more specific examples of how this alleviates population density. Overall, the response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'However', 'For instance', and 'In conclusion' effectively to link your points. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to move beyond basic linking words. Nevertheless, the logical flow is consistent and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'overburdening', 'adverse effects', and 'mitigate'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'avaialble', 'critised', 'disctict', 'popultation', and 'devastsating'. These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more accurate spelling and attempt to incorporate more idiomatic or less common lexical items to show greater flexibility in your writing style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional sentences ('If a tall apartment block is constructed...') and complex noun phrases. While the majority of your sentences are clear, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'tall houses' (which is slightly unnatural in this context) and 'the erection' (which is technically correct but stylistically awkward). Punctuation is generally accurate, and your control of grammar is sufficient to ensure that your meaning is never in doubt, despite the minor errors present.

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

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