Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-10
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)
The effectiveness of tall buildings to accommodate the growing population is debatable. While some people argue that tall buildings are the best way to provide enough homes to individuals living in major cities, I firmly believe that it will badly effects our social life and there are other solutions also existed to this issue. Therefore, I partially agree with this statement and in this essay I will not only explain the reasons of my argument but also propose several alternative solution.
Nowadays, the world's population is at alarming level and providing homes in large cities is becoming complicated, therefore the most appealing solution is constructing buildings upward instead of sideways. Moreover, It will allows to live more population in relatively small area. Furthermore, it will reduces the land use as more people are able to live in one tall building.
On the other hand, the tall buildings badly impacts our social life as there is no private area in buildings such as lawn where families can enjoy their free time. Furthermore, there are many other solutions existed which will be more beneficial if implemented for example the government can utilize the rural area where the more land is available and they can start there satellite societies which can also improve the atmosphere of the place.
Taking all factors into account, from my perspective the tall buildings are the valid solution to overcome the issue but the other possible solutions have more benefits as it allows families to enjoy they private life. Furthermore, the alternative solution also offers healthy lifestyle as in buildings there are no opportunities for youngsters to play since there are no grounds available inside the buildings.
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 and maintains a clear position throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that tall buildings impact social life and suggest rural development, these points are not fully extended with specific examples or deeper analysis. For instance, the mention of 'satellite societies' is a good idea, but it lacks detail on how this would realistically solve the housing crisis in large cities. To reach a higher band, ensure that each main point is supported by a clear explanation and a concrete example, rather than just stating the idea.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'On the other hand' to link your points. However, some of these transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. For example, in the final paragraph, the phrase 'the alternative solution' is used without clearly specifying which one you are referring to. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would enhance the flow of the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on some repetitive phrasing, such as 'solutions existed' and 'badly impacts'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'satellite societies' (which is not a standard term) and 'it will allows to live more population'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to urban planning, such as 'high-density housing', 'urban sprawl', or 'infrastructure development'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('it will allows', 'it will reduces') and incorrect verb forms ('solutions existed' instead of 'solutions exist'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to limit your score. Focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and ensuring that your subject and verb agree in number.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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