Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-23

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 growing population in the large cities has created an increasing demand for affordable and adequate housing. Although constructing tall apartment blocks can accommodate a large number of individuals within a limited area, I believe that this approach should be combined with other forms of housing and effective urban planning.

On the one hand, one major advantage of construction tall apartment blocks is that they can provide housing for a huge number of people while using relatively little land. This is particularly beneficial in densely populated cities, where land is scarce and expensive. By building vertically rather than horizontally, governments and developers can accommodate more families in a limited area without expanding the city into surrounding rural regions. Moreover, high-rise buildings can make the provision of essential services, such as electricity, water supply and public transport, more efficient largely because a large population is concentrated in one location. Therefore, apartment blocks can be an effective way of addressing the growing demand for housing in metropolitan area.

However, I believe that relying solely on tall building is not the best solution because they can negatively affect residents quality go life. High- density housing may lead to overcrowding, traffic congestion and excessive pressure on public facilities such as schools, hospitals and public transport. In addition, people living in high-rose buildings often have limited access to private outdoor space and green areas. A better approach would be to combine apartment blocks with medium-rise housing and well-planned residential areas on the outskirts of cities. This would provide sufficient accommodation while also creating a more comfortable and sustainable urban environment.

In conclusion, apartment blocks can solve housing shortages, but combining them with other housing options is suitable for cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The arguments regarding the efficiency of high-rise buildings and the potential negative impacts on quality of life are relevant and well-supported. The ideas are extended with logical reasoning, such as the mention of infrastructure pressure and the lack of green space. The conclusion effectively summarizes the balanced viewpoint. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific examples or data-driven evidence to further substantiate the claims, as the current arguments remain somewhat general.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits and drawbacks is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different facets of the argument. While the flow is generally natural, some of the linking phrases are standard; incorporating a wider variety of cohesive devices could enhance the sophistication of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'densely populated', 'urban planning', and 'sustainable urban environment'. There are some minor errors, such as 'construction tall' instead of 'constructing tall' and 'quality go life' instead of 'quality of life'. Additionally, 'high-rose' is a spelling error for 'high-rise'. While the range is adequate to convey meaning clearly, the use of less common lexical items is somewhat limited, preventing a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, though there are occasional slips, such as the aforementioned spelling errors and minor grammatical inaccuracies like 'relying solely on tall building' (should be plural 'buildings'). Punctuation is generally accurate. The control of grammar is good, and the errors present do not impede communication. To achieve a higher band, the student should aim for more complex sentence structures and ensure consistent accuracy in subject-verb agreement and pluralization.

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