Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

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 6.5)

Many individuals believe that building tall apartment blocks in large urban areas is the most effective way to provide enough homes for citizens. This issue is a subject of ongoing debate, as it carries both positive and negative effects. However, I firmly agree that the positive impacts of tall apartments can clearly outweigh the drawbacks.

Due to rapid economic growth and urbanization, many people have decided to migrate to cities. Therefore, building apartment blocks is the best plan to manage crowded cities. This is because, unlike traditional houses with big yards, tall apartment blocks take up less land, making them an ideal choice for busy urban areas with growing populations. For example, in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, the city has been facing with urban housing shortage; thus, apartment buildings offer convenient, multiple living spaces for many citizens within a small land area.

However, the negative impacts of tall apartment blocks, such as a lack of human connection, should not be ignored. Unlike traditional houses where people can interact and communicate with neighbors, small rooms separate people from their neighborhoods, leading to depression from loneliness. Nevertheless, this drawback could be minimized by well-designed infrastructure, such as building lobbies, libraries, and parks where people can communicate with each other properly.

In conclusion, even though tall apartment buildings are an effective solution for urban housing shortages, the resulting impacts on mental health from loneliness should not be neglected. However, with the help of precise and systematic solutions, such as building shared lobbies, this problem can be managed well. Therefore, I believe that high-rise apartments are the best solution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by discussing whether tall apartment blocks are the best way to provide homes in large cities and clearly states a position in the introduction, concluding that they agree. The response presents relevant ideas, such as land efficiency and population management, supported by an example from Yangon. However, some arguments, such as the discussion on mental health and social isolation, are slightly brief and could be further extended with more detailed examples. Overall, the main tenets of the prompt are well covered, and the ideas are logically structured to support the writer's stance. This performance aligns comfortably with the requirements for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction and stance, through land efficiency and counter-arguments regarding social isolation, to a clear conclusion. Cohesive devices are used appropriately and effectively, such as 'However', 'Therefore', 'This is because', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is well managed, and referencing is clear throughout the text. The writer maintains a coherent overall arrangement that guides the reader seamlessly from start to finish. This earns a solid Band 7 for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision. Items like 'urbanization', 'infrastructure', and 'housing shortage' show a good grasp of topic-specific language. There are occasional slight inaccuracies in word choice or collocation, such as 'facing with urban housing shortage' instead of 'facing an urban housing shortage'. Nevertheless, the vocabulary is varied enough to convey precise meaning without impeding communication. The student attempts less common lexical items with decent awareness of style, reflecting the characteristics of a Band 7 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a good variety of complex structures alongside simple forms, displaying frequent error-free sentences. Examples of complex structures include 'Due to rapid economic growth and urbanization, many people have decided to migrate to cities' and 'even though tall apartment buildings are an effective solution...'. Control of grammar and punctuation is generally good, though minor slips occur, such as the aforementioned preposition error 'facing with'. Punctuation is accurate, and the errors present do not impede communication. The grammatical range and accuracy match the expectations for a Band 7 score.

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