Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17
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 5.5)
Rapid population growth and overcrowded cities have created a shortage of housing. Some people believe that tall apartment blocks are the best way to provide enough homes in large ciities. Although apartments can cause some inconvenience, i agree that they are the most suitable option for several reasons.
On the one hand, living in an apartment can provide less space and privacy then living in a private house. Sharing walls with other residents and having no private garden can result in a noisier and less peaceful environment. Therefore, people who perfer privacy and solitude may choose individual houses. Moreover, tall buildings can be more difficult to evacuate during natural disasters or unexpected accidents, particularly for people living on higher floors.
On the other hands, private houses are less practical and environmentally friendly in densely populated cities. Constructing large number of houses required more land, which can reduced wildlife habitats and contribute to environmental problems. Furthermore, crowded cities often have limited space for individual houses, making them an unrealistic option for many residents. Apartments can also be more affordable because the cost of land and construction can be shared among many households, reducing financial pressure on individuals.
In my opinion, well-planned and high-quality apartment blocks can provide a convenient living environment while making better use of limited urban space. Although they have some disadvantages, their ability to accommodate large numbers of people makes them a suitable solution to housing shortages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt regarding tall apartment blocks as a solution for urban housing shortages, taking a clear position in agreement. Ideas are relevant and supported, such as discussing space, privacy, environmental impacts, and affordability. However, the task achievement is negatively impacted by the length requirement not being met; the response contains only 239 words, falling short of the 250-word minimum. This results in a slight under-development of ideas compared to a fully realised essay, capping the band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay displays a clear overall progression. It is logically organised into an introduction, body paragraphs addressing both sides of the argument, and a concluding opinion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hands' (minor typo noted), 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas and perspectives. However, referencing and transitions are at times slightly mechanical, placing this comfortably in the Band 6 or 7 range, but hindered by minor structural inaccuracies.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using terms like 'rapid population growth', 'wildlife habitats', 'financial pressure', and 'urban space'. However, there are some noticeable vocabulary and spelling errors, such as 'ciities' instead of cities, 'perfer' instead of prefer, and the grammatical slip 'On the other hands' instead of 'On the other hand'. Less common lexical items are attempted but occasionally flawed, restricting the score to a solid Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and concessive clauses such as 'Although apartments can cause some inconvenience, i agree that...' and 'Constructing large number of houses required more land, which can reduced wildlife habitats...'. There are several grammatical and mechanical errors, including punctuation and capitalization issues (e.g., lowercase 'i'), subject-verb agreement errors ('Constructing large number... required', 'can reduced'), and typos. Nevertheless, these errors do not impede overall communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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