Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-15

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)

Nowadays, there is a shortage of homes in many large cities. It is often believed that tall apartment buildings are the best way to solve this problem. I partly agree with this idea because it is a useful solution but it is not suitable for every cities.

One main advantage is tall apartment blocks is that they are saving spaces. A large number of people can live in one building, so less land needed to houses. it is especially useful in big cities where land is expensive and limited. they reduce urban sprawl and more people can live in the city centre. it means that cities do not need to spread into nearby rural areas.

secondly, Apartments can be near schools, hospitals and shops. it is convenient for residents. For the example, Yash shiv apartment near

school, hospitals and shops their can people going easily. another is the public transport is easier to provide. many people are living in one area. it is easier for governments to provide buses, trains and other transport. For the example, BRTS buses are common on cities area. That's why I large extent to tall building is the best ways to provide homes in cities.

However, tall buildings are not always the best solutions. one problem is that they can be crowed. it is possible that there are many people in the small area and it effect on traffic and public services. another problem is high rise buildings can be expensive to build and maintain.

in closing, tall apartment blocks are a good way to provide more homes in cities because they are saving spaces and many people living together. however, it is not a only solution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position that the student partly agrees with the prompt. The main ideas regarding space saving, convenience, urban sprawl, and drawbacks such as overcrowding and high costs are introduced. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the second body paragraph mentions proximity to schools and shops, but the supporting example ('Yash shiv apartment near school, hospitals and shops their can people going easily') is unclear and fragmented, which weakens the overall support. Despite these developmental limitations, the main stance is maintained throughout, fitting the criteria for a Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a recognizable introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. However, paragraphing is somewhat erratic, particularly in the second paragraph where ideas about convenience and public transport are lumped together awkwardly. Cohesive devices are used, but they tend to be basic and repetitive, such as 'One main advantage is', 'secondly', and 'another problem is'. Furthermore, referencing and logical transitions are occasionally faulty, as seen in sentences starting abruptly without smooth integration like 'it is especially useful' and 'it means that'. These mechanical cohesion issues and weak paragraphing place this aspect firmly at Band 5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The lexical resource demonstrates an adequate range for the completion of the task. The student attempts to use less common vocabulary items such as 'urban sprawl', 'convenient', and 'maintain', but also relies heavily on basic, repetitive terms ('homes', 'cities', 'buildings'). There are noticeable lexical and collocational errors throughout the text, including 'every cities' instead of 'every city', 'saving spaces' instead of 'saving space', and 'on cities area' instead of 'in urban areas'. While these inaccuracies do not completely impede communication, they cause occasional strain for the reader, which aligns with the requirements for a Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response shows a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence forms. However, grammatical control is weak, with frequent errors in punctuation, capitalization, and subject-verb agreement. Examples include lowercase beginnings of sentences ('it is especially useful', 'secondly, Apartments', 'in closing'), incorrect prepositions ('in cities area' instead of 'in city areas'), and awkward phrasing like 'it effect on traffic'. The frequent presence of basic structural errors and punctuation slips means that error-free sentences are in the minority, corresponding to a Band 5 level of accuracy.

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

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