Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12

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 8.0)

Constructing high-rise residential towers is frequently cited as the optimal remedy for urban housing shortages. While vertical expansion offers significant land-use efficiency in space-constrained metropolises, I disagree that it represents the single best approach, as sustainable urban living demands a balanced strategy combining high-density towers with decentralized regional hubs and brownfield redevelopment.

Admittedly, high-rise apartment blocks are uniquely suited to maximizing population capacity on limited footprints. Global financial centres such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore illustrate how verticality prevents horizontal encroachment into surrounding ecosystems while keeping residents close to commercial districts. Furthermore, concentrated populations make municipal services far more economically viable; mass rapid transit systems, centralized water networks, and district heating can be deployed efficiently when thousands of commuters reside within a single city block. By centralizing accommodation, municipal planners can curtail the costly infrastructure expenditure associated with car-dependent suburban sprawl.

However, relying exclusively on skyscrapers introduces profound socio-economic and infrastructural challenges. The exorbitant capital costs of constructing and maintaining supertall structures often translate into high purchase prices and substantial maintenance fees, rendering these units unaffordable for the lower-income demographics most in need of shelter. Over-concentrated vertical living can also overwhelm local amenities, precipitating severe traffic gridlock and straining public schools and healthcare facilities. Beyond practical constraints, homogeneous high-rise districts can erode community cohesion and contribute to social isolation, as vertical separation diminishes spontaneous neighborhood interactions.

A truly effective housing strategy therefore requires a diversified portfolio of urban planning solutions. Medium-density, mixed-use zoning—often termed the "missing middle"—can provide ample housing while fostering vibrant streetscapes, as seen across European capitals like Paris and Vienna. Moreover, rather than perpetually densifying inner-city cores, governments can invest in high-speed regional rail links to incentivize the growth of satellite towns, redistributing demographic pressure. Redeveloping underutilized industrial brownfield sites into low-to-medium-rise housing communities balances capacity with human-scale living far more effectively than isolated high-rises.

In conclusion, while high-rise apartment complexes remain a vital tool for space conservation in dense metropolises, designating them as the definitive answer overlooks crucial issues of affordability, liveability, and infrastructure strain. The most viable path forward integrates selective vertical construction with medium-density development and regional decentralization.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt with a well-developed and nuanced position. The student directly engages with the statement regarding tall apartment blocks, acknowledging their land-use efficiency while clearly disagreeing that they represent the single best approach. The ideas are extended and supported with relevant global examples such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris, and Vienna. The reasoning is sound, exploring both the benefits of vertical density and its socioeconomic drawbacks, leading to a comprehensive and logically structured argument that satisfies all Band 8 requirements for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and progress naturally from introduction to supporting arguments, counterarguments, alternative solutions, and a clear conclusion. Paragraphing is used skillfully and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the topic. Cohesive devices such as 'Admittedly', 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover' are managed very well without feeling mechanical. Referencing and substitution are handled seamlessly throughout the text, fully meeting the criteria for a high band score in Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The writer demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible vocabulary range suitable for an academic response. Sophisticated terms and collocations are used naturally, including 'space-constrained metropolises', 'horizontal encroachment', 'exorbitant capital costs', 'demographics', and 'diversified portfolio'. There is skilful use of uncommon lexical items such as 'precipitating' and 'incentivize'. Word choice and collocations are precise, with only occasional minor slips, displaying a strong command of lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay displays a wide range of complex sentence structures with a high degree of flexibility and accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, utilizing advanced syntactic features such as participial phrases ('Constructing high-rise residential towers is frequently cited...') and conditional/concessive structures. Control of grammar and punctuation is excellent throughout, with only rare non-systematic slips that never impede communication. This demonstrates solid command well within the higher band thresholds.

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