Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05
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)
As the population is increasing day by day, people are migrating from rural areas to cities for better jobs and opportunities. Therefore, providing enough homes has become a major challenge. Some people believe that building tall apartment blocks can reduce this problem. I also believe that building tall apartment blocks can reduce this problem and provide shelter for many people; therefore, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
On the one hand, some people believe that building tall apartment blocks has disadvantages because it can cause many problems. For example, tall apartment blocks can cause overcrowding and put pressure on public services such as roads and hospitals. They may also reduce green spaces. People have to wait for the lift for a while. If there is no lift facility, elderly people may face difficulty getting to their apartments.
On the other hand, it is widely believed that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Building tall apartment blocks provides homes for many people and also saves land. Apartments are built on a relatively small area of land but can contain many homes, allowing more people to live in the same space.
Overall, building tall apartment blocks can help overcome the problem of providing enough homes in large cities by providing shelter and affordable homes for many people. In my opinion, the advantages of this approach outweigh its disadvantages.
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 addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the main points regarding overcrowding and land efficiency are relevant, they are not sufficiently developed or supported with specific examples or detailed analysis. The conclusion is repetitive and does not add new insight. To reach a higher band, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and illustrative examples to meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the opposing viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore' are used to guide the reader. However, the transitions between sentences are sometimes simplistic, and the overall flow could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive links to connect ideas more fluidly. The progression of ideas is clear, but the brevity of the content makes the structure feel somewhat mechanical.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'building tall apartment blocks' are used repeatedly, which limits the lexical range. There is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning or housing density. While the meaning is always clear and there are no significant spelling errors, the lack of variety prevents the essay from demonstrating the flexibility required for a higher band. Incorporating more precise terminology would significantly enhance the quality of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are rare and do not impede communication. However, the range of structures is limited; there is a reliance on simple 'subject-verb-object' patterns. To improve, you should incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, to demonstrate greater control. Punctuation is generally correct, but the overall grammatical complexity is quite low for an academic task.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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