Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-02

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)

In recent years, the rapid growth of urban population has created a serious demand for housing in large cities. Some people believe that constructing tall apartment blocks is the best way to provide sufficient accommodation. I agree to a larger extent with this view , reasons will discuss in a better way in further paragraph.

There are several reasons why building tall apartment blocks can be effective solution to the housing shortage. Firstly, large cities generally have limited available land, where high-rise building can accommodate more people making efficient use of limited land and constructing vertically allows a greater number of people to live in a relatively small area. For instance, instead of building hundreds of individual ouses across a large piecebof land, several-storey apartment building can provide homes for many families on the same site.

In addition, high-rise housing can be loacted close to workplaces, school and public transport. This can reduce commuting distances and make daily life more convenient for residents. Therefore, vertical development can help cities accommodate growing populations without expanding excessively into surrounding areas.

Conversely, one drawback is that some tall building can become overcrowded if they are poorly planned. Residents may also have limited access to private outdoor spaces, which can effcet their quality of life. In addition , excessive construction of high-rise building may place pressure on essential infrastructure sch as roads, water supplies, electricity and public transport. For this reason , government and urban planners should ensure that new residential developments are supported by adequate facilities.

In conclusion, constructing tall apartment blocks is an effective way to provide more housing in large cities because it makes better use of limited land and can accommodate a large population. Nevertheless, it should be combined with other forms of housing and proper urban planning to create comfortable and sustainable cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting a clear position on the viability of tall apartment blocks to solve housing shortages in large cities. The student provides relevant supporting ideas, such as efficient land use, proximity to urban infrastructure, and potential drawbacks like overcrowding and strain on public services. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others; for instance, the introduction concludes with a somewhat awkward and incomplete signposting statement, and certain body paragraph arguments briefly touch upon issues without fully extending them. To reach a higher level, the student needs to provide more thorough elaboration and deeper analysis of the main arguments, particularly regarding how urban planning can mitigate infrastructure pressures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear organizational structure introduction, body paragraphs addressing both advantages and disadvantages, and a logical conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct themes. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', 'Conversely', and 'In conclusion' are employed to guide the reader through the text. However, cohesion at times feels mechanical, and referencing occasionally lacks smooth integration, particularly in the introduction where the sentence transition is abrupt. To achieve a higher level of coherence, the student should integrate a wider variety of cohesive ties more naturally and ensure smoother logical transitions between sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common lexical items such as 'accommodation', 'vertical development', 'infrastructure', and 'sustainable'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors throughout the text, such as 'loacted' instead of located, 'sch' instead of such, 'effcet' instead of affect, and 'piecebof' instead of piece of. These errors do not impede communication, but they demonstrate a lack of precision. To move up to a higher band, the student must broaden their vocabulary range further and exercise greater control over word choice, spelling, and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures with moderate success. Grammatical control is evident in many parts of the text, but there are some recurring errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include comma splices and incorrect article usage, such as 'high-rise building can accommodate' instead of buildings, 'school and public transport' missing a plural form, and punctuation errors around conjunctions like 'In addition ,'. Despite these flaws, the errors rarely impede communication. To attain a higher band, the student should produce a greater proportion of error-free complex sentences and refine their punctuation control.

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

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