Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-23
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 growth of ubranization has raised population and it increases the trend of tall apartments in cities. It is important because there is less space and land in cities. It has both benefits and drawbacks.
On the one hand, as population is increasing day by day and it raises the issue of space. I completely agree with this stance that tall apartments has many advantages. Numerous people are lived in one apartment. It is built in vertical direction that also take less space and many people can accomodate in one place. Tall apartments are built near the workplace, schools and universities that reduces the cost of travelling, traffic jam, and also less use of transportation. For example: in Karachi the population is very high so they builts apartments instead of houses because there is less space or land in cities and people are migrated from rural areas.
On the other hand, many people can't afford apartments because they belong to the middle class. The cost of cleaning, accomodations and rents are so high so people don't afford it. Some buildings are too high that raise the risk. Government should make some policies and free housing schemes that is benefical for families those who can't afford and pay the rent.
In conclusion, tall buildings are crucial and many people can accomodate in small space and land. As many people are moving to cities for the future of their offsprings. A lot of people can't buy houses so they moved to the apartments. There are many drawbacks as many of them has not enough money to pay the rents.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student addresses the task by discussing both the advantages and drawbacks of tall apartment blocks in large cities, providing a clear position. The response includes relevant ideas such as space efficiency, reduced travel costs, housing affordability issues, and government policies. However, some arguments are under-developed or repetitive, such as the points regarding migration and small spaces mentioned again in the conclusion. Examples are provided, such as Karachi, which supports the argument. While the ideas are somewhat generalized and could be extended further with deeper analysis, all parts of the prompt are addressed, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into four paragraphs, demonstrating a recognizable structure with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing both sides, and a conclusion. Transitional phrases like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, referencing and logical transitions within the body paragraphs are occasionally disjointed, such as abrupt shifts between sentences discussing population growth and traffic jams. Paragraphing is attempted appropriately, but the overall progression lacks seamless flow, placing this text securely in the Band 6 category.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts at less common items such as 'urbanization', 'vertical direction', and 'accomodate'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors throughout the text, including 'ubranization', 'lived' instead of 'live', 'builts', and 'benefical'. The repetition of simple terms like 'space', 'land', and 'people' limits the lexical range. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they reflect the limitations characteristic of Band 5, though some adequate vocabulary prevents a lower score, so a solid Band 5.5 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Tall apartments are built near the workplace, schools and universities that reduces the cost of travelling...' However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including subject-verb agreement issues ('tall apartments has', 'many of them has not enough money') and tense inconsistencies ('they builts', 'people are migrated'). Punctuation and article usage are also occasionally faulty. These errors cause some difficulty for the reader at times, though the meaning remains mostly clear, which matches the Band 5 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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