Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-06
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)
People believe that the optimal solution for providing sufficient homes in urban cities is to construct high-rise buildings. I strongly agree with this statement and will discuss my opinions and views towards this topic .
Firstly , rapid population growth and highly crowded cities cause residence shortages, and people should decide what type of residence would be more suitable to alleviate this problem . Some people believe that tall apartment blocks would be the best way to provide enough homes in large cities . Although tall apartments can cause inconvenience and concern , I agree that it will remain the best option for several reasons . Living in apartment offers a restricted space and inconvenience compared to single private houses .
On the other hand , single houses are less environmentally friendly and less effective way to provide a home for all people . Building small private houses will cover more space which results in the reduced wildlife habitat , creating environmental problems . Large and crowded cities often lack a space for such houses and this option is often unavailable . In addition , as apartments are more affordable compared to single private houses , they will place less financial pressure on individuals to purchase a residence .
In my opinion , accurately planned and high quality tall apartment blocks could create convenient environment while providing all people with enough homes . Building a large amounts of single private houses will demand more resources and space , which is less adequate option .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 taking a clear position in favor of high-rise buildings. The ideas are relevant, focusing on environmental impact and affordability. However, the development is somewhat limited. While the argument regarding environmental sustainability is clear, the points about 'inconvenience' are mentioned but not fully explored or countered effectively. The essay stays on topic throughout, but the depth of analysis could be improved to reach a higher band. The conclusion is brief and repeats points already made rather than synthesizing them into a more sophisticated final thought.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'On the other hand', and 'In addition' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The use of referencing is generally clear, though some sentences feel slightly disconnected. Overall, the progression of ideas is logical, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'urban cities', 'residence shortages', and 'wildlife habitat'. However, there is some repetition of basic vocabulary (e.g., 'provide enough homes', 'single private houses'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items. There are no significant spelling errors, and the word choices are accurate enough to convey your meaning clearly without causing confusion for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most sentences are clear, there are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'Living in apartment offers' (missing an article) and 'Building a large amounts' (incorrect article usage). Punctuation is generally correct, though there are some unnecessary spaces before commas. The errors present do not impede communication, but the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Increasing the variety of subordinate clauses and using more sophisticated sentence patterns would help elevate your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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