Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-02

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 to be told that to approve everyone's requirement of living in cities, builders are constructing taller building. I disagree with that because having pace for living is not enough if you don't have access to nature.

Some people believe that, it is better for citizens to live on high rise building, because it is more affordable along with that everyone can live in developed cities. Majority of people tend to live in a city where they can have facilities like, good Education system, better Medical care along with that a better job opportunity. Due to this population have increased, people are facing shortage of homes. Owing to this contractors are building high rise buildings for rising population where they can have a place to live which can be affordable. For example, an individual is moving from rural area to urban area for his education purpose but he is unable to find a suitable house for him self; however, this is the main reason behind building tall apartment blocks to remove the shortage of houses. I disagree with this reason because living on the longer apartments can be difficult for individuals.

Some people argues that, living on top of 20th floor building can be tricky because sometimes an individual can feel lonely, away from nature along with that for example, if their's is fire breaks down in the building it would be difficult for not only younger but also elderly people too, they have to clime down the stair case it would uneasy for them. Additionally, with growing population people can face traffic congestion as well as carbon emissions which is harmful not only to environment but to humans too.

In conclusion, high rise buildings can be affordable and help every one to live in cities. I disagree with this because growing population can be the reason of carbon emissions which will effect the environment as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against the statement. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention affordability and urban facilities, the counter-arguments regarding safety and environmental impact are not fully explored or supported with strong evidence. The conclusion is slightly repetitive and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more nuanced reasoning, perhaps by discussing alternative solutions to urban housing or providing more specific examples of how high-rise living impacts community well-being.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Due to this', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'It is to be told that' in the introduction, which does not flow naturally. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between ideas could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will enhance the overall flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on somewhat repetitive phrasing, such as 'better' and 'good', and some collocations are unnatural, such as 'living on the longer apartments' or 'if their's is fire breaks down'. There are also minor errors in word choice that occasionally distract the reader. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and learning common collocations related to urban planning and environmental issues.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include 'builders are constructing taller building' (should be plural), 'if their's is fire breaks down' (incorrect syntax), and 'clime down the stair case' (spelling/word choice). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the clarity of your arguments. You should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately.

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

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