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)

It is widely debated that the most effective way to accommodate people in large cities is by building apartment blocks. While houses remain suitable for certain families and offer more privacy, I agree with this view, because apartment buildings use land more efficiently and make public services more accessible.

To begin with, detached houses with private gardens offer several advantages. One of the main benifits is that having a private garden allows parents to engage with their young children in out door activities such as gardening and playing hide and seek. Children growing up in such an environment are more likely to develop healthy habits. Moreover, houses provide a great level of privacy. Since homeowner do not share walls or a common area with neighbors, they are less likely to be disturbed by noise and can enjoy quieter more peaceful life.

However, due to rapid population growth in recent decades many countries have experienced housing shortages. Therefore, I believe that building upwards is more practical solution, as it enables cities to accommodate a large number of people in a relatively small area. High-rise residential buildings provide housing for thousands of residents, while also preserving land for parks, schools, and commercial areas.

Furthermore, apartments are mainly located close to public transport, workplaces, and shopping malls. This makes daily life more convenient while alsoreducing commuting time. In addition, apartment residents often have access to share facilities such as gyms and playgrounds, which significantly improve their quality of life.

In conclusion, despite the benifit, constructing high-rise apartment buildings is the most effective way to maximise the land use, as they accommodate more people in a relatively small area and improve daily life by providing access to numerous facilities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response 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 your position. You have presented relevant ideas about both the advantages of houses and the practical necessity of high-rise buildings due to population growth. The arguments are supported with logical explanations, such as land efficiency, access to public transport, and shared facilities. However, some ideas, such as the benefits of private gardens, could be tied more directly to the main argument regarding urban housing density. Overall, your position is well-maintained throughout the essay, meeting the criteria for a Band 7.0 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

Your essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with the counter-argument about detached houses, moving to the main argument about high-rise buildings, and concluding effectively. You make use of appropriate cohesive devices and transition signals, such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Furthermore'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and logically to separate different aspects of the debate. Referencing is generally clear, ensuring the reader can easily follow your line of reasoning. The overall structure and flow of the text comfortably place it within the Band 7.0 descriptor.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, incorporating less common lexical items such as 'population growth', 'housing shortages', and 'residential buildings'. There is a general awareness of style and collocation, although some spelling errors occur, such as 'benifits' instead of 'benefits', 'out door' instead of 'outdoor', and 'alsoreducing' instead of 'also reducing'. Additionally, there is a minor grammatical collocation slip in 'share facilities' instead of 'shared facilities'. Despite these occasional inaccuracies, your vocabulary is varied enough to allow for precise communication of your ideas, reflecting a solid Band 6.5 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and relative clauses. You demonstrate good control over grammar for the most part, with many error-free sentences. However, there are some minor grammatical errors and punctuation lapses, such as missing articles or slight structural awkwardness in phrases like 'Since homeowner do not share' (missing plural 'homeowners') and 'more practical solution' (missing article 'a'). Punctuation is occasionally affected by spacing errors, such as extra spaces or missing spaces between words. These errors do not impede communication and allow the grammar to align well with a Band 6.5 descriptor.

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.