Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-14

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 6.0)

Overpopulation has become a major concern in metropolitan cities. It is widely suggested that to overcome the problem of housing shortage, it is necessary to construct multi-storey residential units. This essay is firmly in favour of this notion for several compelling reasons.

A key justification for this stance is that the growing population in major cities has posed numerous challenges for authorities. Large numbers of people are migrating from rural to urban areas in search of better employment, healthcare and educational opportunities. That is why traffic congestion and dense commuting have become prevalent. It is becoming difficult for people to find accommodation in spacious houses because there is not enough land available. The only possible solution to this problem is that the government should implement strategies to give housing to the local residents. For example, establishing apartment buildings can provide residence to a large number of individuals.

Another pivotal factor is that it is not affordable for every citizen to purchase their own house in a developed city because the cost of living is quite high. In many developed countries, people prefer to live in apartments by paying reasonable rents. The major advantage is that people do not have to worry about renovations or other responsibilities. Moreover, apartments are much safer to live because it is up to owners to provide security for these residential buildings. For instance, everyone prioritises living in a peaceful and safe residential area that is exactly provided by the apartments.

In conclusion, i would say although there are several demerits of living in building blocks, still its advantages outweigh them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt effectively, presenting a clear position in favour of building tall apartment blocks to solve housing shortages in large cities. The introduction outlines this stance directly, and the body paragraphs offer relevant supporting ideas, such as urban migration, cost of living, and security benefits. However, some arguments lack full extension and rely on slightly repetitive or general points rather than deeper analytical elaboration. For instance, the discussion on safety and maintenance in the third paragraph is somewhat generalised. Overall, all parts of the task are addressed with a clear overarching perspective, aligning well with the Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptors, comfortably earning a Band 6.5 for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a clear overall progression and logical arrangement. Ideas are generally grouped logically into paragraphs, with an introduction, two supporting body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used adequately, such as 'Another pivotal factor is that' and 'For instance', guiding the reader through the text. However, paragraphing could be tighter, and some referencing is slightly mechanical. The conclusion is also extremely brief ('In conclusion, i would say...'), containing a lowercase pronoun and missing a comma. Nevertheless, the progression of ideas is coherent and easy to follow, making Band 6.5 an appropriate reflection of the organizational skills shown.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common lexical items such as 'metropolitan cities', 'multi-storey residential units', and 'traffic congestion'. While the vocabulary successfully conveys meaning, there are occasional awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'dense commuting' or 'implement strategies to give housing'. Spelling is generally accurate, and communication is never impeded. The lexical range is sufficient for some flexibility, touching upon the boundaries of Band 6 and Band 7, though occasional imprecise expressions keep it firmly at a solid Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional structures. Examples like 'It is widely suggested that to overcome the problem of housing shortage, it is necessary to construct multi-storey residential units' show an ability to handle complex syntax. There are some minor grammatical errors and punctuation slips throughout the text, such as the lowercase 'i' in the conclusion ('In conclusion, i would say...') and slight awkwardness in phrasing like 'apartments are much safer to live because...'. However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication, supporting a clear Band 6.5 score.

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.