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)

In large cities, constructing tall flat buildings is considered to be the most effective way to give enough homes. In my opinion, I agree that It would give home to many, however, I also believe that tall constructions can be dangerous in terms of natural disasters.

The apartments basically utilise less space and make up homes to many individuals as it has numerous floors. In terms of a bachelor student, it is more efficient for them to live in a flat as it is cost effective and only has one or two bedroom apartment according to the size. Many international scholars look or an accommodation in such kind of homes. Apart from this, they are much safer for young girls who are either locals or from different countries all over the world. Moreover, in such places, there is made a strong community which brings people together.

On the other hand, tall buildings can be a problem if the country experiences any natural disasters such as tornado, floods, earthquakes and much more. These can be a huge concern for the taller buildings of 20 plus floors as the buildings can collapse which can cause deaths to thousands of innocent citizens. For this, highly qualified engineers should be contacted before constructing such apartments. There are huge numbers of countries who have taller apartments which can be a danger in such cases such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and many more.

At the end I would conclude that, there should be a construction of apartments but they should not be more than 5 to 6 floors. As this will provide home to many with considering safety issues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position, although the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. You provide relevant arguments regarding efficiency and community for tall buildings, and counter-arguments regarding safety and natural disasters. However, the discussion is slightly superficial; for instance, the claim that tall buildings are safer for 'young girls' is not clearly linked to the topic of housing density. Additionally, the conclusion introduces a new suggestion (limiting height to 5-6 floors) that was not explored in the body paragraphs. To improve, ensure that each main point is fully supported with logical reasoning and that your conclusion reflects the arguments already presented.

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 'In terms of', 'Apart from this', and 'On the other hand', to signal transitions. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved to create a more natural progression of ideas. For example, the transition between the benefits of flat living and the safety of young girls feels abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'natural disasters', 'collapse', and 'accommodation'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'give home to many' instead of 'provide housing' and 'tall flat buildings' instead of 'high-rise apartment blocks'. There are also some minor errors in collocation, such as 'look or an accommodation' (look for) and 'there is made a strong community'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'constructing tall flat buildings is considered to be the most effective way to give enough homes' (awkward phrasing), 'It would give home' (capitalization error), and 'There are huge numbers of countries who have taller apartments' (incorrect relative pronoun 'who' for countries). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some minor errors. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without losing clarity.

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

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