Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29

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)

In many large cities, the growing population has created a shortage of housing. Some people believe that constructing high-rise buildings is the most effective way to provide enough homes. I largely agree with this view because tall apartments can accommodate more people in a limited area and make better use of valuable urban land.

One major reason for building tall apartment blocks is that land is limited in large cities. As urban population continue to grow, it is difficult to provide separate homes for every family. High-rise buildings allow hundred of people to live on a small piece land. As a result, cities can provide more accommodation without expanding to surrounding areas. For example, many densely populated cities have constructed high-rise residential buildings to meet the increasing demand for housing and building vertically can be an efficient solution to housing shortage.

Another advantage is that apartment blocks can make better use of existing infrastructure and public services. When people live in densely populated areas, they can have easier access to public transport, schools, hospitals and shopping centres. This may also reduce the need for people to travel long distances for work or essential services. However, tall apartment building should be carefully planned because overcrowding can create traffic congestion and a lack of green spaces. Governments should ensure that new developments include parks, parking facilities and adequate public services.

Overall, I largely agree that constructing tall apartment blocks is one of the most effective ways to provide sufficient housing in large cities because it saves land and accommodate a large number of residents. However, such developments need proper planning to ensure a good quality of life.

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. The student's position is clear throughout the essay, presented in the introduction and maintained in the conclusion. Main ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as how high-rises accommodate large numbers of people on limited land and how they optimise existing urban infrastructure. The arguments are extended logically, including a balanced concession regarding potential overcrowding and the need for proper planning like green spaces and public services. This performance comfortably aligns with the Band 7.0 descriptors, as all parts of the task are addressed and ideas are effectively supported and extended.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with the introduction of the writer's stance, followed by body paragraphs focusing on land conservation and infrastructure efficiency, and finishing with a cohesive summary. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as transitional markers like 'One major reason', 'Another advantage', and 'Overall'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes slightly mechanical or repetitive in structure. Paragraphing is used appropriately and sufficiently to separate different aspects of the argument, ensuring that the reader can follow the writer's line of reasoning without difficulty. This meets the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary that allows for some flexibility and precision, such as 'accommodate', 'infrastructure', 'densely populated', and 'urban land'. Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation, as seen in phrases like 'meet the increasing demand' and 'traffic congestion'. There are, however, occasional minor inaccuracies in word choice or grammar-related word forms, such as 'population continue to grow' (should be plural 'populations') and 'small piece land' (missing preposition 'of'). Despite these minor flaws, the vocabulary is adequate for the task and communication is never impeded. These characteristics reflect the standard of a Band 6.5 or a solid 6.0 leaning toward 7.0; given the successful use of topic-specific terminology, a Band 6.5 is well-earned.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with the student successfully employing relative clauses, conditionals, and noun phrases, such as 'When people live in densely populated areas, they can have easier access...' and 'Governments should ensure that new developments include...'. There are some grammatical errors present, such as 'hundred of people' (should be 'hundreds') and 'tall apartment building should' (should be plural 'buildings'). Additionally, the subject-verb agreement slip 'population continue' was noted. Nevertheless, these errors are relatively infrequent and do not impede communication. The control of punctuation and sentence structures is generally good, supporting a Band 6.5 score.

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