Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-08

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)

It is often argued that making a certain number of homes in big urban areas requires constructing a long residential place. I largely agree with this view because making such tall apartment blocks can provide more free space, and also a big number of homes in just one building is an enough idea.

Firstly, constructing a large building to keep more land safe from housing is a good idea because making just one story on one area, like one hectare, can decrease land for more houses in the future. Buying land for houses and offices will be more expensive. Instead of making just one apartment on land, we can build collective homes in one long building. It can save area for more houses in the future.

Secondly, making a home in one tall block will be more accessible for people, and the rent of the apartment will also be affordable for every kind of person. Some people who are constructing their own home require a huge amount of capital and also need legal papers from the community mayor, which is a more challenging part of constructing a home on their own. Meanwhile, the government is working with local communities to keep these places safe as national assets for using different purposes in the future.

To sum up, constructing a tall building for all homes is a more effective way to reduce high rents instead of making homes on their own just in one apartment. A tall building is more reliable and accessible for everyone.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of tall apartment blocks. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention land conservation and affordability, the arguments lack depth and specific examples. For instance, the claim that tall buildings are 'more accessible' or 'affordable' is asserted but not fully explained or supported with concrete evidence. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points by discussing specific urban planning benefits or potential drawbacks, such as infrastructure requirements or social density, to provide a more comprehensive argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'To sum up' to signal the structure. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the logical progression within paragraphs could be smoother. Some transitions are slightly awkward, such as the shift from discussing land use to the legal difficulties of constructing individual homes. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence builds logically on the previous one would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'making a home' or 'constructing a home', which limits your lexical variety. There are also some unnatural collocations, such as 'long residential place' and 'enough idea', which hinder the sophistication of your expression. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to urban development, such as 'high-density housing', 'urban sprawl', or 'cost-effective solutions'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'making a certain number of homes... requires constructing a long residential place' is grammatically awkward. There are also issues with article usage and word forms, such as 'one story on one area'. While your meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and refining your use of complex sentence structures to ensure accuracy.

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

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