Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-29
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 5.5)
It is argued that building tall apartment blocks is the best way to provide enough homes in large cities. I have a mixed opinion on this view. While building tall apartment blocks solves the housing issue but it is also not feasible for many environment prone cities.
To begin with, I believe that construction of tall apartment is one of the best method to deals with housing problem. As cities grow astronomically in economic the population also grow respectively to sustain the housing of the workers tall apartment are the budget friendly way to maintain it. In fact many large cites nowadays use this method take example of popular cities like London and New York these cities are popular for their tall apartment will help them sustain there large population.
On the other hand, building tall apartment blocks is very risky for natural as well as artificial disaster. Tall apartments drastically increase the risk of earthquakes and fire in the apartment. If a earthquakes hit the building the damage in life will be catastrophic. for instance, If a single apartment has came in contact with fire it will spread throughout the building and the evacuation will also be near impossible if fire is caused in lower floors.
In conclusion, consi
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, ending abruptly at 210 words. This significantly impacts the development of the argument, as the conclusion is incomplete. While you clearly state a mixed position and provide relevant ideas regarding housing efficiency and safety concerns, the lack of completion prevents a full development of your argument. To improve, ensure you fully flesh out your supporting points and provide a complete, balanced conclusion. The ideas presented are relevant to the prompt, but the under-length nature of the essay limits the overall task achievement score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of your argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with' and 'On the other hand' to signal shifts in your logic. However, the abrupt ending in the conclusion disrupts the flow of the text. Additionally, some transitions are mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your paragraphs are balanced and fully concluded to maintain a smooth logical flow throughout the entire piece.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'astronomically', 'catastrophic', and 'evacuation'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'environment prone cities' and 'came in contact with fire'. These errors do not generally impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To improve, try to focus on learning common collocations and using more sophisticated vocabulary in a natural way. Expanding your range of topic-specific vocabulary related to urban planning would also be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('population also grow', 'If a earthquakes hit') and incorrect verb forms ('has came'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors indicate a lack of control over more complex structures. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, specifically verb tenses and pluralization, and practice constructing complex sentences with more precision.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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