Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-07

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 5.5)

Urbanization is escalating rapidly in numerous countries, though the number of accommodations for individuals is quite limited. By constructing tall apartment blocks in large cities, governments can effectively provide sufficient housing for the people. I, personally, disagree with this view due to risk of life caused by natural disasters and degradation of fertile soils.

This essay will discuss both the statement before giving my opinion.

In todays world, most of the residents of any country are rely on urban cities because of getting a luxurious lifestyles for their well-being. That's why authorities have to build multi-stored apartment to accommodate the people. Constructing these buildings which are extremely tall, cannot withstand natural calamities such as earthquake and landslides. This disasters lead to severe destruction and causes a significant loss of life. For instance, during the 2017 landslides and earthquakes happened in Rangamati, Bangladesh, several high-rise structures collapsed rapidly, resulting a hundreds of casualties. In my opinion, the government should create employment opportunities in smaller towns and facilitate single-story housing. This approach would reduce population density in major cities while minimizing the risk of disaster-related fatalities. Another reason is, loss of soil fertility. Due to build the high rise flats, the weight of the apartments is pressing the soils really hard. Thus, the soil and its surrounded area is transforming into a bare land where any kind of trees fail to grow. For example, Dhaka is a bustling city with huge constructional flats and buildings, where hardly seems any kind of greenery. Even if the government is trying to plant native species in the middle of the urban road lanes, hence the soil is too much dead to produce a new saplings of these plants. My concern about this issue is that, the authorities should do an urban management plan and executed in these cities by the local municipal so that they are build one-story home but not more than triple story structures and make sure every homes have enough space for plantations rather than pressurize the underground soils with heavy structures.

In most cases, building a tall apartment can maximize the limited urban space for the residentials. Children's and elderly generation get enough space to play and walk in open field. But I believe this have less importance because after all life is precious for anybody. Though we cannot prevent the disasters caused by nature, we should do more conscious while building extremely large apartments.

In conclusion, the governments along with general public should protect the lives of people without destroying the earth atmosphere and soils. They are implementing urban management plans in the overpopulated cities which not only provide the shelter to people but also protecting the nature.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you disagree with relying on tall apartment blocks, and you give reasons related to disaster risks and environmental effects. The examples of Rangamati and Dhaka help make the discussion relevant, and you also acknowledge the opposing point that high-rises use limited urban space efficiently. However, the response addresses the prompt more fully in some areas than others. The claim that building height itself causes soil fertility loss is not clearly explained, and the proposed alternatives—employment in smaller towns and low-rise housing—need more support to show how they would provide enough homes. Develop the reasoning behind each main point and connect it more directly to the question of housing supply.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, a main discussion, a counterpoint and a conclusion. Paragraphing generally separates the main ideas, and signposts such as “For instance” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the argument. However, progression within the long second paragraph is difficult to track: it moves from disasters to employment in smaller towns, then soil fertility and urban planting. Some links are mechanical or unclear, including “This essay will discuss both the statement” and “Even if … hence.” The counterargument paragraph also introduces children’s and elderly people’s access to open space without clearly connecting this to the preceding point about efficient land use. Group related ideas into clearer paragraphs and use more precise references and transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “natural calamities,” “population density,” “fertile soils” and “urban management plans,” which helps communicate the subject. Some less common expressions are used inaccurately or unnaturally, however, and this sometimes makes the meaning less clear. Examples include “constructional flats,” “the soil is too much dead,” “a new saplings” and “earth atmosphere.” There are also repeated broad terms such as “build” and “people,” where more precise choices would improve the discussion. Aim to learn vocabulary in natural combinations and check word forms: for example, use “high-rise buildings,” “depleted soil” and “the environment.” This would make your ideas clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning with “Though” and “where,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, attempts at longer structures often contain errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction. For example, “most of the residents … are rely” should be “rely,” while “This disasters … causes” needs agreement as “These disasters … cause.” In “the government should do an urban management plan and executed,” the verbs are not parallel; use “should create … and execute.” Punctuation also needs attention, particularly the comma splice in “Another reason is, loss of soil fertility.” Practise building accurate complex sentences and check each clause for a clear subject and correctly formed verb.

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