Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

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)

A great way to manage the ever-increasing urbanization in larger cities is by building high-rise apartments. I strongly agree with this statement as this allows for more housing while occupying less land area. Furthermore, sharing a space results in less cost as compared to stand-alone houses.

With vertical buildings, the number of people that can be accommodated are much higher than that of individual houses. This is because there are many floors within a tall apartment, each floor having multiple homes. This means while many families can be accommodated within the said building, in an individual house, only a certain family can be entertained. Therefore building high-rise buildings is an efficient use of a city space. For example, China is one of the most populated countries in the world. Therefore, they have built apartments to accommodate their ever-growing population.

Furthermore, the cost of an apartment is significantly less than that of a personal house due to the shared space. This is because while a house owner is a sole user of all the amenities like water or home maintenance, a person in an apartment is sharing these resources with other people in the same building. This helps people live a decent lifestyle despite their financial statuses. For example, the apartment I live in provides its residents with all the resources like a lift, occasional maintenance without us having to worry about it.

In conclusion, building high-rise residences is a great way to manage the urbanization in big cities. I overwhelmingly agree with this because not only the tall apartment blocks help use a city's space efficiently but it is also considerably cost-effective.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task prompt, taking a clear and well-developed position that high-rise apartments are the best solution for urban housing. The introduction clearly states the writer's stance, which is maintained throughout the essay. The body paragraphs present relevant ideas, such as space efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and support them with appropriate explanations and examples, such as referencing population density in China. The ideas are extended well, though the examples could be slightly more specific. Overall, the task is fulfilled to a solid Band 7 level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction to space management, financial benefits, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'This is because', and 'In conclusion' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently, ensuring the essay is well-structured and easy to follow. The logical flow is consistent and meets the criteria for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate and appropriate for the task, with a sufficient range to allow some flexibility and precision. Phrases such as 'ever-increasing urbanization', 'efficient use of a city space', and 'cost-effective' demonstrate a good command of topic-specific language. There are some attempts to use less common vocabulary, though occasional word choice choices or slight awkwardness occur, such as 'a certain family can be entertained' instead of 'accommodated'. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient for a Band 6.5, rounded to a Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional structures. However, there are a few grammatical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'the number of people that can be accommodated are much higher' where the verb should agree with 'number' ('is'), and 'not only the tall apartment blocks help' which lacks proper inversion structure. Despite these occasional errors, punctuation is generally correct, and they do not impede communication. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor.

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

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