Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03

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 the modern world, some people think that the best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks, whereas others think homes should be built on a wide area of land. In my estimation, I do not agree with building tall apartment blocks due to the fact that narrow constructed homes have less ventilation, lack fresh air, pose health concerns, can not through big parties, and create vehicle parking issues.

Firstly, it is true that tall apartments are fulfilling the range of homes that is a requirement of city populations. In fact it does not even require a large amount of land. Nevertheless, those people do not have air crossing which is significantly important for well-being. Those childrens who live there have less opportunity to play. They need to go outside if they want to throw a big party becuase of two reasons which are small home and parking place.

Conversely, the development of large houses occurs a garden, a swimming pool, and a parking area, which are requirments in this modern world. People want to celebrate their happiness with closed ones futhermore, they want to celebrate their childrens small achievements as appreciation, which requires a place. Consequently, they can use their garden to celebrate it. Additionally, the fresh air keeps them fresh and calm. Moreover, family members will enjoy the pool by swimming in it and, through this activity, they will stay active and healthy.

In conclusion, people who prefer tall apartments will face a lot of issues, including their health, whereas those who live on a wide area of land will be free to live in numerous aspects.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against tall apartment blocks. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and relies on narrow arguments, such as the inability to 'throw big parties' or the lack of swimming pools. These points are not particularly relevant to the broader urban planning debate regarding housing density and sustainability. While the position is consistent, the arguments lack depth and academic maturity, focusing more on personal lifestyle preferences rather than the societal or economic implications of high-density living. To improve, focus on broader issues like infrastructure, urban sprawl, and environmental impact.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Conversely', and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the pronoun 'those' is used without a clear antecedent. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the transition between the benefits of large houses and the conclusion feels abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect collocations, such as 'narrow constructed homes', 'air crossing', and 'celebrate their happiness with closed ones' (likely meaning 'loved ones'). The range is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more precise academic vocabulary related to urban development, such as 'high-density housing', 'urban sprawl', 'infrastructure', or 'sustainable living', and ensure that word choices are natural and contextually appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'Those childrens who live there' (pluralization error), 'the development of large houses occurs a garden' (incorrect verb usage), and 'can not through big parties' (incorrect preposition/verb usage). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition 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.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.