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)
Currently, the population in the cities are increasing due to the employment opportunities , education purpose, migration of rural people to urban area for superior way of life. From my perspective I totally agree with the fact that building tall apartment blocks is an appropriate way to provide shelter therefore due to this the integrity of the city is maintained and there are less or no vagabond. The other concern is that housing is considered to be the basic requirement for an individual to survive.
Firstly , it is significantly a best way for the accommodating thousands of residents on a very small geographical footprint. It is considerably cost effective by connecting the utilities like water, electricity, and sewage lines which reflects to lower per- capita cost. High density housing creates a viable hubs for efficient bus networks . prevention of urban sprawl, protecting surrounding countryside and agriculture land from destruction to preserve green spaces.
Secondly, there are drawbacks such as high density living can cause overcrowding, lack of privacy, and increased stress. It creates immense pressure on local roads, schools, hospitals, and parking spaces.
To resolve the above issues alternative suburban towns is often t
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 196 words long. Furthermore, the essay is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence. While you have established a clear position and provided some relevant arguments regarding urban density and infrastructure, the ideas are not sufficiently developed. The lack of a conclusion and the unfinished nature of the final paragraph significantly impact the task completion. To improve, you must ensure you fully develop your arguments with specific examples and complete the essay structure within the word limit.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly' and 'Secondly' to organize ideas, which provides a logical structure. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete final sentence. Paragraphing is attempted, but the abrupt ending prevents a cohesive conclusion. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow is hindered by the lack of sufficient transition between the benefits and drawbacks of high-rise living. To achieve a higher band, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that the essay concludes with a summary of your main points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'geographical footprint', 'urban sprawl', and 'per-capita cost', which is positive. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'there are less or no vagabond' (should be 'fewer homeless people') and 'it is significantly a best way' (should be 'it is arguably the best way'). Expanding your vocabulary to include more sophisticated academic collocations would improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the population in the cities are increasing') and awkward phrasing ('it reflects to lower per-capita cost'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors and the incomplete nature of the final sentence limit the grammatical range and accuracy score. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and sentence completion is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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