Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-26

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 7.0)

The rapid growth of urban populations has created a serious demand for housing in many large cities. Some people argue that constructing tall apartment blocks is the best way to provide enough homes. I largely agree with this view because high-rise buildings make efficient use of limited land, although they should not be the only solution. The main advantage of tall apartment buildings is that they can accommodate a large number of people on relatively small areas of land. In major cities, available land is often scarce and expensive. So building upwards is generally more practical than building large numbers of individual houses. For example, a single high-rise development can contain hundreds of apartments while occupying far less land than an equivalent number of houses. This can help prevent cities from expanding unnecessarily into surrounding agricultural and natural areas. However, relying entirely on high-rise buildings could create significant challenges. Very high concentrations of residents may put considerable pressure on public services, including roads, public transport, schools, hospitals, and water supplies. In addition, some people prefer houses because they provide greater privacy, living space, and access to private outdoor areas. Therefore, simply constructing more apartment towers without developing the necessary infrastructure could negatively affect residents' quality of life. In conclusion, I largely agree that tall apartment blocks are an effective way to address housing shortages in large cities because they allow limited urban land to be used efficiently. Nevertheless, governments should adopt a balanced approach by combining high-rise developments with suitable infrastructure, public facilities, and other forms of housing. This would provide accommodation for growing populations while maintaining a good standard of urban living.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing the extent of agreement with the statement that tall apartment blocks are the best way to provide enough homes in large cities. Your position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. You effectively develop main ideas by explaining how high-rise buildings efficiently use scarce land and prevent urban sprawl, while also acknowledging valid counterarguments regarding infrastructure pressure and lifestyle preferences. Ideas are well-supported with logical explanations, aligning well with the Band 7 and 8 criteria for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

Your essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction to supporting arguments, counterarguments, and a balanced conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively and naturally, such as 'The main advantage', 'However', 'In addition', and 'Nevertheless'. Paragraphing is used appropriately and sufficiently to structure the argument. The overall cohesion is well managed, which fits comfortably within the Band 7 criteria.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task with good flexibility and precision. You successfully incorporate less common and topic-specific vocabulary such as 'urban populations', 'accommodate', 'scarce', 'urban sprawl', and 'infrastructure'. Word choice and collocations are generally accurate, and spelling is correct throughout. While the range is somewhat standard rather than sophisticatedly wide, it fully satisfies the Band 7 requirements for lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

Your essay exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, featuring subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as 'while occupying far less land than an equivalent number of houses' and 'simply constructing more apartment towers without developing the necessary infrastructure could negatively affect residents' quality of life'. Grammar and punctuation are controlled very well, with frequent error-free sentences and no major errors that impede communication. This performance aligns closely with the Band 7 descriptors.

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

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