Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-01
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 6.5)
I partly agree that building tall apartment blocks is an effective way to provide enough homes in large cities. However, I believe it should not be the only solution.
On the one hand, high-rise buildings can accommodate many people in a limited area. This is especially useful in crowded cities where land is expensive and scarce. For example, cities such as Singapore use tall residential buildings to house large populations efficiently.
On the other hand, excessive high-rise construction can create problems such as traffic congestion, overcrowding and pressure on public services. Low-rise housing in suburban areas can provide more space and a better environment.
In conclusion, tall apartment blocks are useful, but cities should combine them with other housing solutions.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the extent of agreement regarding tall apartment blocks, maintaining a clear position throughout. However, the most critical issue is that the writing is significantly under-length, containing only 120 words compared to the minimum requirement of 250 words. Because of this, the ideas remain limited and under-developed, preventing the essay from fully exploring the nuances of urban housing solutions. While the student identifies valid arguments on both sides, such as space efficiency and traffic congestion, these points lack the necessary depth and supporting examples required for a fully fleshed-out academic essay. To reach a higher band, the writer must expand their explanations significantly and meet the minimum word count.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
The essay demonstrates clear logical organization and progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with a brief introduction that states the writer's position, followed by body paragraphs presenting contrasting views ('On the one hand', 'On the other hand'), and concluding with a concise summary. Cohesive devices are used appropriately to guide the reader through the arguments without feeling mechanical or forced. Referencing and paragraphing are managed well, establishing a clear framework. To achieve an even higher band, the writer could incorporate more sophisticated, seamless transitions between sentences to make the overall flow completely unobtrusive and natural.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating less common lexical items related to urban planning and housing, such as 'accommodate', 'scarce', 'excessive high-rise construction', and 'traffic congestion'. The word choice is generally natural and allows the message to be communicated clearly without any spelling or word-choice errors that impede comprehension. The vocabulary demonstrates a sufficient range to discuss the topic with some precision. To move into a higher band, the writer should incorporate a wider variety of more sophisticated, less common idiomatic phrases and collocations, while demonstrating greater flexibility in expressing nuanced concepts.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0
The text displays a good control of grammar and punctuation, featuring a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Although... / However...' constructions and relative clauses. There are frequent error-free sentences, and the overall control of verb tenses, articles, and prepositions is strong. The punctuation is handled accurately, ensuring the reader encounters no difficulty in parsing the meaning. To reach the next tier, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures consistently, maintaining accuracy across more ambitious and extended syntactic forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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