Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

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 provide housing to the local residents. For example, establishing apartment buildings can provide housing 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 in 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 multi-storey buildings, still its advantages outweigh them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt effectively, presenting a clear and well-developed position throughout the essay. The writer takes a firm stance in favour of tall apartment blocks as the best solution for urban housing shortages. In the body paragraphs, the writer extends and supports relevant ideas, such as rural-urban migration, high land costs, affordability, and security benefits. For instance, the mention of how 'establishing apartment buildings can provide housing to a large number of individuals' directly ties back to the prompt's core question. While some arguments, such as the security benefits, could be elaborated further, the overall task is covered well with a clear line of argument. This aligns closely with the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with an introduction that outlines the writer's stance, followed by well-sequenced body paragraphs that discuss distinct arguments regarding urban challenges and affordability. The writer uses cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Another pivotal factor is that' and 'Moreover', which guide the reader smoothly through the text. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. Although referencing and linking are generally clear, the transition in the conclusion could be slightly more refined. Overall, the coherence and cohesion of the writing comfortably meet the criteria for a Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision, incorporating less common lexical items such as 'metropolitan cities', 'housing shortage', 'multi-storey residential units', and 'traffic congestion'. There is an awareness of style and collocation, as seen in phrases like 'compelling reasons' and 'cost of living'. However, there are occasional awkward phrasings or minor inaccuracies, such as 'dense commuting' instead of heavy traffic or commuter density, and 'that is exactly provided by the apartments'. These minor slips prevent the vocabulary from reaching a higher band, placing the response solidly at Band 6.5, which rounds to 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures appropriately, such as 'It is widely suggested that to overcome the problem of housing shortage...' and 'It is not affordable for every citizen to purchase their own house...'. Grammar and punctuation are generally well controlled, and the frequent error-free sentences ensure that communication is never impeded. While there are minor stylistic awkwardnesses, such as 'still its advantages outweigh them' at the end, these do not interfere with understanding. The control of grammar and range of structures align well with the Band 7 descriptors.

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

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