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)
Tall apartment blocks is the best way to construct homes in dense cities. Although tall apartment blocks is an efficient way to deal with a shortage of space, I believe that it decreases people's quality of life.
On the one hand, building tall apartment blocks is an easy way to deal with land shortage problems. Many dense cities have expensive land and with limited availability, so tall apartment can accommodate hundreds of families efficiently in a small area. In addition, if governments build, these apartments near to workplace and public services such as metro, bus and train stations, so it will decrease many commuting travels. For example, large cities such as Mumbai, many families live in high-rise apartments because this place has a high pollution and limited land for individual houses.
On the another hand, relying entirely on tall apartment building can negatively affect people's quality of life. When too many residents placed in one area, then cities will face overcrowding and increase pressure on roads, schools, hospitals and other public services. Furthermore, the people how are living in those apartments may have limited access to private garden and open spaces. therefore, it may reduce the quality of life. For instance, a family how lives in a small apartment may have a small open are for their children compare to family living in a suburban area. Therefore, I believe that this is not the only solution for land shortage.
In conclusion, although tall apartment blocks is an efficient way to deal with a land shortage, I believe that it decreases people's quality of life.
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 that tall apartment blocks are not the best solution due to quality-of-life concerns. The ideas are relevant, covering both the benefits of space efficiency and the drawbacks of overcrowding. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you provide examples like Mumbai, the arguments could be more deeply explored with more specific evidence or nuanced reasoning. The conclusion restates your position, but the overall development remains at a basic level. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully supported with detailed explanation rather than just stating the idea.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'Furthermore' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly repetitive. There are also minor issues with referencing; for example, 'this place' in the second paragraph is slightly ambiguous. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their intended antecedents.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'land shortage', 'accommodate', and 'overcrowding'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'commuting travels' (should be 'commutes') and 'open are' (likely a typo for 'area'). The vocabulary is functional but lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your range to include more academic or topic-specific vocabulary would also be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Tall apartment blocks is' instead of 'are') and relative clauses (e.g., 'the people how are living' instead of 'who are living'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic agreement errors and ensuring that relative pronouns and verb forms are used correctly in complex sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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