Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11

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 the best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks. This is because they can save land in metropolitan areas. I agree with idea of providing housing in apartments is an effective solution. High-rise apartments are useful to accommodate a large number of people and it is easier to provide public transport and services.

Firstly, the main reason why I agree with this view is that it provides so many homes on limited land. This is because of the rapid growth in population led to finding a good home. For example, recently in some cities all tall apartments are called well planned residential communities with multiple benefits. Therefore, these tall buildings are useful and beneficial for all the population in cities.

Secondly, another important reason is that it helps transport and public services, in other way when a large number of people live in the same area, public transport, schools, hospitals and other facilities can be provided more efficiently. For instance apartment owners should provide a bus for community members and provides a lot of parking space. As a result, people will have lots of useful things to complete a day in apartments.

In conclusion, i strongly agree that building tall apartment blocks is an effective way to provide sufficient housing in large cities. They can accommodate many people on limited land and the people of high-rise buildings will get more facilities than others, which can significantly improve their quality of life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. The ideas are relevant, focusing on land efficiency and the provision of public services. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding public transport is mentioned but not fully explored with specific, convincing examples; the suggestion that 'apartment owners should provide a bus' is a bit simplistic and lacks a broader perspective on urban planning. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed reasoning and more sophisticated, real-world examples that demonstrate a deeper understanding of the complexities of urban housing.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure. However, the use of linking words is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'in other way' or 'for example, recently in some cities'. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect ideas more fluidly. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be strengthened to better support the arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on common, repetitive phrases like 'useful', 'beneficial', and 'good home'. While the meaning is clear, there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban development or sociology. Some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'complete a day in apartments'. To improve, focus on incorporating topic-specific collocations and more precise academic vocabulary to express your ideas with greater nuance and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'I agree with idea of providing' (missing article), 'rapid growth in population led to finding' (awkward phrasing), and 'the people of high-rise buildings' (should be 'residents'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are minor slips throughout. The errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and refining your sentence construction to ensure greater accuracy in complex structures.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.