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)

The population in megacities is increasing rapidly these days, so providing many houses becomes an essential issue for residents in large cities. People say that the best solution is to build tall apartment blocks which can accommodate many people. In my opinion, I strongly disagree that building many apartment blocks is the best way to solve the housing problem.

Building a lot of tall apartment blocks causes several problems for residents.

Many crimes may occur, such as theft. As a result, many people will feel unsafe in their apartments. Also, a lot of children may not stay quiet which can create a lot of noise that affects residents' mental health. For example, many residents are students at universities and schools who need to study for their academic exams without any distraction.

Another problem is that many families may face several financial difficulties. They will spend an enormous amount of money on taxes and rent. . In addition, parents are forced to pay high university fees for their children. For instance, some students work part-time jobs while studying at university. As a result, they may have low scores in academic exams. Consequently, students will have mental health problems because they fear failing at the university.

In conclusion, building tall apartment blocks is the worst solution for the problem caused by population growth in large cities. It leads to various challenges in daily life for both parents and children, such as students' poor academic performance at universities due to stress and anxiety.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against tall apartment blocks. However, the development of ideas falls short of higher bands. While the writer attempts to provide reasons, the arguments presented—such as crime like theft, children making noise, and university students facing financial difficulties—are somewhat tangential to the core debate of urban housing supply and tend to stray into unrelated issues like university fees and part-time jobs. These ideas are under-developed and lack direct connection to why high-rises are inherently a poor solution compared to alternatives. Therefore, the response aligns best with Band 5.5, as it addresses the task but provides limited and partially irrelevant extension of ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a basic overall progression, and the writer uses some cohesive devices such as 'As a result', 'Also', and 'In addition'. However, referencing and logical sequencing are sometimes faulty. For instance, the transition from discussing apartment living to university fees and part-time jobs feels disjointed and lacks a clear argumentative thread. Furthermore, paragraphing is somewhat mechanical, and overall cohesion feels repetitive in structure. This performance is characteristic of Band 6.0, where coherence is generally maintained, but logical progression falters at points.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate basic points using phrases like 'population in megacities', 'financial difficulties', and 'academic performance'. However, the range is limited, and there are instances of unnatural word choice or collocation, such as 'building a lot of tall apartment blocks causes several problems' instead of more sophisticated academic phrasing. There are also occasional lexical inaccuracies, such as linking high-rises directly to university tuition fees. The vocabulary meets the criteria for Band 6.0, as it is sufficient for the task and attempts some less common vocabulary, though with some imprecision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like conditional and causal clauses ('As a result, many people will feel unsafe', 'While studying at university'). There are several error-free sentences, but errors in grammar and punctuation do appear, such as the double period typo ('rent. . In addition') and awkward phrasing. However, these errors do not impede communication, and the basic grammar is under control. This places the grammatical performance firmly at Band 6.0, featuring a mix of structures and a moderate frequency of non-impeding errors.

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