Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04
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)
The people debate that constructing high flats to accommodate the people in urban areas is a useful option. Larger cities are often face the problem of over-population that leads a number of troublesome and one of them is accommodation. Tall apartment blocks can solve the residential issues and conserve land but the low housing societies schemes should be promoted to cope up with it.
To begin the discussion with constructing high and large flats to conserve the land and for solving issues of residence because a large density of population need accommodation. There are many countries in world that are investing in high-rise buildings to relatively accommodate the urban masses because there is unavailability of land and prevent rural areas to merge into housing societies. For example, Singapore has constructed a numerous tall apartments to adjusting a large urban population and they entertain the residents with multiple facilities such as supermarket, recreational centers.
On the other hand, there are many extended families that live in high flats and their children need some recreational activities that are not possible in these buildings due to lack of developed land. To cope up with these issues , the government should invest and plan small houses societies and arrange playground, supermarket and park to facilitates the citizens that will live there.
In conclusion, I agree that tall apartment blocks are a solution to accommodate a large density of population because they face the issue of shortage of land but it is not only the possible approach of handling this problem but government should also initiate small housing societies for better quality of life cope up with residential requirements.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the role of tall apartment blocks in urban planning. You maintain a clear position throughout, agreeing with the necessity of high-rise buildings while suggesting a balanced approach with smaller housing schemes. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the mention of Singapore is a good start, but the explanation of why high-rises are the 'best' way is not fully explored, and the counter-argument regarding recreational space is brief. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully expanded with more detailed reasoning or specific examples to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the topic.
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 'To begin the discussion', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where referencing is slightly unclear, such as the phrase 'cope up with it' in the introduction, where the antecedent is ambiguous. Additionally, some transitions feel repetitive. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'urban areas', 'over-population', and 'high-rise buildings'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect collocations, such as 'constructing high flats' (instead of 'high-rise apartments'), 'cope up with' (a common error for 'cope with'), and 'small houses societies' (which is non-standard). To improve, focus on learning natural collocations and avoiding informal or redundant phrasal verbs. Expanding your range of academic vocabulary will also help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow, such as 'The people debate that constructing...' (should be 'It is debated that...'), 'Larger cities are often face the problem' (incorrect verb usage), and 'there are many countries in world' (missing article). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are errors in sentence construction. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Increasing the number of error-free sentences will be key to moving up to a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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