Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-31

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 argued that the most effective approach to addressing housing shortages in major cities is to construct tall apartment buildings. I partly agree that this could be a potential solution to fix the housing issue but this can be accomodated with other solutions

On one hand constructing tall apartment buildings blocks will provide more housings than developing bungalows. Cities are overcrowding with housing shortages and homeless, building high rise apartment provide more apartments because a single tall building could comprise of 50 apartments and more depending on the structure and the height of the apartment. This can reduce the amount of land occupied or trees cut down and deforestation and animals chase out of their homes, which is benefical for the enviroment.

On the other hand, relying only on high-rise apartment as the solution to shortage of accomadations is not pragmatic. These types of buildings are very expensive especially in the cities and not every families can afford it. During a disasters, maybe fore or earthquake, the individuals staying at the top of the building may suffered more consequences than those living downstairs of the building. For example during the earthquake in Turkey, the tall building took more of the impact than low structures building, with some occupants not found for days.

To conclude, while I agree that tall buildings will provide more accomodation for people in large cities, and have benefit for the enviroment, it is hard to overlooks the consequences of using only that as a solution. Building a tall structure should only be part of the solution and not the only solution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a balanced position, acknowledging the benefits of high-rise buildings while highlighting their limitations. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, such as the environmental benefits of land conservation versus the safety and cost concerns. However, the development is somewhat limited; for instance, the point about safety during disasters could be more nuanced, as modern engineering standards often mitigate these risks. The conclusion clearly restates the position, ensuring the response remains focused on the prompt throughout. To improve, ensure that arguments are fully explored with more specific evidence or logical depth.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude', which help guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and flow. For example, the sentence 'Cities are overcrowding with housing shortages and homeless' lacks smooth integration with the following clause. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'pragmatic' and 'consequences'. However, there are several spelling errors ('accomodated', 'accomadations', 'fore', 'enviroment') and some awkward phrasing ('animals chase out of their homes'). These errors do not significantly impede communication, but they do limit the score. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on accurate spelling and more precise word choices to convey their arguments with greater sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('building high rise apartment provide', 'tall building took more of the impact') and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with commas. While the student attempts complex structures, the frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents a higher score. To improve, the student should proofread for common errors like pluralization and verb tense consistency, and work on integrating complex clauses more accurately.

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

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