Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

To a large extent, i agree with the statement, The best case scenario building tall apartment blocks can provide a large number of homes in large cities, To some extent i also slightly disagree it should not be so, rather to build tall buildings we should spread the city with good infrastructure, it will provide better environment to live near to the nature and will also provide more oxygenated air.

From the real example of city lahore, which is in Punjab Pakistan, old Lahore does not have tall building but popultion density there is to much, people live in narrow streets, mostly traffic remains blocked and sanitation system is also not good due to narrow space it is very hard to manage cleanliness, other major loss is loss of agriculture land also.

The expanded Lahore has tall building and good infrastrcuture, it has greater population as compared to old lahore but it is well managed, people are living in high rise buildings, and most of the necessities of life are at their one hand distance, living apartments, shopping stores and workplaces are well distributed according to the people needs. High rise building apartments have their benefits, everything of the building is well managed, like water electricity and other daily use items, in less resources more people can be entertained, like gym, swimming pool, can be shared and maintained well in low cost.

Both infra have their own pros and cons, but seeing all these cons we can say building tall apartments in large cities will provide more homes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to address the prompt by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of building tall apartment blocks in large cities. The writer presents a mixed position, initially agreeing with the statement before introducing counterarguments related to urban sprawl and green spaces, and then using the example of Lahore to support their arguments. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and lacks sufficient depth. While the contrast between old and expanded Lahore is relevant, the explanation of how high-rise buildings solve housing shortages remains basic and slightly repetitive. The arguments are generalized rather than fully extended, placing this response in Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay displays some overall organization, divided into an introduction, two body paragraphs focusing on Lahore, and a brief conclusion. However, progression is frequently disrupted by poor sentence boundary punctuation, such as comma splices (e.g., 'To a large extent, i agree with the statement, The best case scenario...'). Cohesive devices are minimal, repetitive, or mechanically applied. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal logical transitions between ideas are weak, making the progression difficult to follow at times. Referencing is also occasionally unclear. This level of organization and cohesive control aligns with Band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, though it remains minimally adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less common terms and subject-specific vocabulary such as 'population density', 'sanitation system', 'agriculture land', and 'infrastructure', but these are accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice, form, and collocation (e.g., 'one hand distance', 'other major loss is loss of agriculture land', 'expanded Lahore'). Spelling mistakes and lowercase 'i' pronouns also detract from the quality. Because the lexical range is basic and errors cause some distraction for the reader, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The writing exhibits a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and poorly connected clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, most notably severe punctuation errors like comma splices connecting independent clauses, missing capitalisation, and faulty sentence construction (e.g., 'building tall apartment blocks can provide a large number of homes in large cities, To some extent i also slightly disagree it should not be so'). Complex structures are rarely attempted, and when they are, they are often faulty. Due to the high frequency of basic structural errors, this falls into Band 4.5.

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

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