Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

Rapid urbanisation has placed immense pressure on municipal housing supplies, sparking widespread debate regarding optimal architectural solutions. While I acknowledge that high-density residential towers offer a practical response to space constraints, I fundamentally disagree that constructing tall apartment blocks represents the best method to resolve urban housing deficits.

The primary justification for constructing vertical developments lies in their land-use efficiency. In mega-cities where horizontal expansion is restricted by geographical boundaries or greenbelts, high-rise residential towers dramatically increase the population density per square metre. This density allows municipal authorities to centralise essential infrastructure—such as sewage systems, power grids, and public transit networks—thereby lowering per-capita administrative and environmental costs. For instance, high-density residential hubs in cities like Singapore and Tokyo demonstrate how high-rise developments can successfully prevent urban sprawl while accommodating millions within well-connected urban corridors.

However, viewing high-rises as the ultimate panacea overlooks severe socio-economic and structural drawbacks. First and foremost, the construction and ongoing maintenance of super-tall structures entail exorbitant capital expenditure, which frequently inflates market prices and renders these apartments unaffordable for low-income residents. Furthermore, over-reliance on vertical housing risks exacerbating urban isolation and mental health issues, as high-rise living inherently reduces communal green spaces and natural social interactions compared to medium-density, mixed-use neighborhoods. A far more sustainable alternative involves developing satellite towns interconnected by high-speed rail, alongside urban regeneration projects that repurpose underutilised brownfield sites into low-rise, energy-efficient housing developments.

In conclusion, while high-rise apartment blocks provide an immediate response to spatial scarcity in metropolitan areas, I maintain that designating them as the single best housing strategy is an overly simplistic assertion. A truly resilient housing framework must instead blend high-density vertical towers with decentralized satellite cities and brownfield redevelopment to ensure long-term affordability and livability.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The response covers all parts of the task well with a clear, fully developed position throughout. The writer addresses the prompt by acknowledging the land-use efficiency of high-rise apartment blocks while providing a well-argued counter-position regarding socio-economic drawbacks and alternative solutions. Ideas are well developed and supported with relevant examples, such as referencing Singapore and Tokyo to illustrate high-density urban corridors. The reasoning flows logically from exploring the justifications for vertical developments to discussing their structural and economic downsides, culminating in a nuanced conclusion. To reach the highest level, the ideas could be expanded with even greater depth regarding alternative living models, though the current treatment is comprehensive and addresses the prompt thoroughly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The response demonstrates a logical sequencing of ideas and clear progression throughout. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph fulfilling a distinct functional role: an introduction outlining the writer's stance, a body paragraph dedicated to the benefits of high-rises, a counter-argument paragraph exploring their drawbacks and alternatives, and a synthesizing conclusion. Cohesive devices are managed skilfully and unobtrusively, using sophisticated transitional phrases such as 'The primary justification,' 'However,' and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader seamlessly through the argument. Referencing and substitution are handled with precision, ensuring that the relationships between ideas remain transparent and cohesive at all times.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.5

The writer employs a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary, demonstrating skilful use of uncommon lexical items such as 'rapid urbanisation,' 'spatial scarcity,' 'capital expenditure,' and 'brownfield sites.' Word choice and collocation are natural and precise throughout, contributing to an academic and authoritative tone. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies, which do not impede communication. To push towards absolute mastery, the student could occasionally incorporate even more idiomatic or nuanced figurative language, though the current range of precise, topic-specific terminology fully satisfies the demands of this level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of complex structures executed with a high degree of control and flexibility. The majority of sentences are entirely error-free, featuring sophisticated syntactic constructions such as participial phrases ('In mega-cities where horizontal expansion is restricted...') and conditional or concessive clauses. Control over verb forms, tenses, agreement, articles, and punctuation is exceptionally strong, with only very rare, negligible slips that never obscure meaning. The punctuation is handled meticulously, particularly in the management of subordinate clauses and parenthetical elements, supporting the academic flow of the essay.

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