Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

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 7.5)

It is often argued that constructing high-rise residential buildings is the most effective approach to resolving housing shortages in major metropolitan areas. While vertical development undeniably maximizes spatial efficiency, I largely disagree that it represents the absolute "best" strategy, as it often places severe strain on municipal infrastructure and must be integrated with suburban expansion and regional decentralization to achieve sustainable urban growth.

The primary merit of high-rise apartment towers lies in their ability to maximize residential density on limited footprints. Because usable land in central commercial districts is both scarce and prohibitively expensive, vertical construction allows thousands of residents to be accommodated in locations close to major employment centers, public transit networks, and commercial amenities. In geographically constrained metropolises like Hong Kong or Singapore, vertical densification is indispensable, curtailing the unchecked conversion of greenfield areas into suburbs while keeping commuting distances manageable.

Nevertheless, characterizing high-rise developments as the single best solution overlooks significant structural and societal drawbacks. Concentrating high volumes of people within tight boundaries places immense strain on existing utilities, including water supply, power grids, sewage systems, and road networks. If civic infrastructure fails to scale at the same rate, high-density residential corridors frequently suffer from severe traffic congestion and public service degradation.

Furthermore, high-rise construction involves substantial capital expenditure, complex engineering, and ongoing maintenance charges, meaning the resulting units often target mid-to-high-income demographics rather than providing the truly affordable housing needed to address broader shortages.A more comprehensive approach requires balancing vertical living with suburban development supported by rapid transit and regional decentralization. Satellite towns and master-planned suburbs linked to city centers via high-speed rail enable cities to house growing populations comfortably without triggering urban congestion. By establishing peripheral commercial hubs, municipalities distribute economic activity outward, reducing overall pressure on central city infrastructure and offering families access to spacious, cost-effective residential housing.While tall apartment towers play a vital role in curbing urban sprawl and optimizing valuable city-center land, designating them as the definitive answer to housing shortages is overly simplistic. A durable solution instead demands a multifaceted model that pairs prudent high-density developments with regional transit links and decentralized suburban communities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task. The student establishes a clear position in the introduction ('I largely disagree that it represents the absolute "best" strategy') and maintains it consistently throughout the essay. The arguments are well-developed and supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as referencing the high-density constraints of Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as the infrastructural and financial drawbacks of high-rise living. The ideas are extended logically, exploring both the merits of vertical density and alternative solutions like regional decentralization and suburban transit. There are no omissions, and the task is answered thoroughly in accordance with the Band 8 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently linked, starting from the introductory thesis statement, moving through the advantages and disadvantages of high-rise buildings, and concluding with a balanced multifaceted model. Paragraphing is used skillfully and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct sub-topic (e.g., spatial efficiency, infrastructure strain, financial costs, and alternative solutions). Cohesive devices are employed flexibly and naturally without being mechanical, for instance, 'Furthermore', 'Nevertheless', and 'By establishing peripheral commercial hubs'. Referencing throughout the text is clear and precise.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The writer demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible lexical resource that is well-suited to an academic task. Less common lexical items and collocations are used skillfully throughout the response, such as 'spatial efficiency', 'municipal infrastructure', 'geographically constrained metropolises', 'vertical densification', and 'capital expenditure'. Word choice is generally precise, and collocation is natural, though there is a very minor punctuation omission in the body ('shortages.A more comprehensive'). Minor slips do not detract from the overall high quality of vocabulary, firmly placing the response in the Band 8 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response exhibits a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with a high degree of flexibility and accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, featuring sophisticated subordinate clauses, participial phrases ('Concentrating high volumes of people within tight boundaries places...', 'While tall apartment towers play a vital role...'), and conditionals. Punctuation and sentence boundary control are generally strong, with only a single minor spacing error between sentences ('shortages.A more'). Grammatical control is consistent throughout, reflecting the characteristics of Band 8 where the majority of sentences are error-free.

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