Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

There is an idea that, it is more convenient to construct building taller and taller for the sake of providing homes for people. I partially agree that idea, because building apartments vertically can accommodate many people without using large areas of land. However, relying entirely on high-rise buildings can create problems such as overcrowding and reduced quality of life.

On the one hand, I believe tall apartment blocks make much better use of limited urban area. Large number of people can live on a relatively small plot. This is particularly useful in densely populated cities where land prices are high. It can also reduce urban sprawl. For example, instead of constructing hundreds of individual houses accross the outskirts of a city, one apartment complex can accommodate hundreds of families on a much smaller area. Consequently, more homes can be provided while preserving land for parks, transport infrastucture and other facilities.

On the other hand, excessive dependence on high-rise buildings can negatively affect living conditions. First of all, very dense apartment blocks can cause overcrowding. Subsequently, they may place pressure on public transport, schools, hospitals and other services. Moreover, some families may prefer houses or low-rise buildings because they offer more privacy and outoor space. Another potential reason is that tall buildings require regular maintenance and renovations. The materials used in those buildings can deteriorated ver time and may need to be repaired or replaced, which can be costly and time-consuming. Therefore, relying heavily on high-rise buildings may place a significant financial burden on governments and residents.

In conclusion, although building tall apartment blocks can provide housing for a large number of people while making efficinet use of limited urban land, I do not completely agree that this is the best solution. The high maintenance and renovation costs and overcrowding problem associated with a financial burden and unconvenience, in turn.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by providing a clear position and supporting it with relevant arguments. Your introduction establishes a balanced view, and the body paragraphs explore both the benefits of high-density housing and the drawbacks, such as infrastructure strain and maintenance costs. The ideas are well-developed and logically extended. To reach a higher band, ensure that your conclusion fully synthesizes your points rather than introducing new phrasing like 'unconvenience' which slightly weakens the final summary. Overall, your response is focused and directly answers the question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' 'Consequently,' and 'Moreover,' which help guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. For instance, the final sentence of the conclusion is grammatically fragmented and lacks a clear link to the preceding argument, which slightly disrupts the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'urban sprawl,' 'densely populated,' and 'financial burden' are used correctly and appropriately for this academic context. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'accross' (across), 'infrastucture' (infrastructure), 'deteriorated ver time' (deteriorate over time), and 'efficinet' (efficient). Additionally, 'unconvenience' is not the correct noun form; 'inconvenience' would be accurate. These errors do not impede communication but prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several instances of grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'There is an idea that, it is more convenient' (unnecessary comma), 'construct building taller' (should be 'buildings'), and 'The materials... can deteriorated' (should be 'can deteriorate'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede the reader's understanding of your main points. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of modal verbs. Your control of punctuation is generally good, though some minor slips persist.

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

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