Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-09

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 contemporary societies, concerns regarding accommodation have sparked an intense debate. Proponents advocate constructing tall residential buildings is a practical and essential approach for accommodation in large urban areas, while critics claim constructing tall residential buildings is not an effective approach. However, in my opinion a balanced approach would be an effective approach to accommodate the rising population in urban areas.

On the one hand, proponents advocate constructing high rise apartments houses dozens of families over a small piece of land making the most out of scarce and expensive urban land and also leaves more land open for public parks or surrounding natural environment. In addition, living in residential buildings gives proximity to facilities. In simple words residing in dense vertical residential buildings places residents closer to hospitals, public transport schools and work place this shortens the daily commute and reduces traffic congestion.

On the other hand, critics argue constructing high rise apartments results in inconvenience and noise pollution . The conditions such as connections between apartments results in a lack of privacy individuals are aware of what’s happening in their neighbor’s house. In addition, high rise apartments require expensive maintenance for the power grid , sewerage, elevators and water supply . Rapidly adding on new levels without up grading local power grids, safety systems and sewerage can over whelm the neighborhood. Thus making it unaffordable for the low income residents.

In conclusion, constructing high rise apartments has many benefits such as its land efficient and gives proximity to facilities. However, in my opinion a balanced approach compromising of high rise apartment buildings with supported infrastructure along with alternate housing options would be an ideal solution for this crisis.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your response addresses the question and presents a clear, qualified position: tall apartments have benefits, but a balanced housing strategy is preferable. You support both sides with relevant points, including efficient land use, access to services, privacy, maintenance costs and pressure on infrastructure. This gives the argument a sound foundation. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained. For example, the claim that residents can hear what happens in neighbours’ homes would be stronger with a brief explanation of how building design or density affects privacy. The conclusion also mentions “alternate housing options” without specifying what these might be. Developing these examples and explaining why your balanced approach is best would make the response more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, two contrasting body paragraphs and a conclusion. The progression from advantages to disadvantages is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. Some linking is less smooth within sentences, however. The first body paragraph places several benefits in a long sequence, while the second moves quickly from privacy to maintenance and infrastructure. The fragment “Thus making it unaffordable for the low income residents” also interrupts the flow because it is not a complete sentence. Grouping related points and using clearer links to show cause and effect would make the progression more consistently natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “scarce and expensive urban land,” “traffic congestion,” “maintenance” and “infrastructure.” These choices make the main ideas clear, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several phrases are repetitive or imprecise: “effective approach” appears repeatedly, and “apartment houses” and “connections between apartments” do not express the intended ideas naturally. There are also spelling and word-form problems, such as “up grading” and “over whelm,” which should be written as single words. Aim for more precise collocations and vary repeated terms; this will help you express the argument more flexibly without changing its meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including contrast clauses and explanatory sentences, and the overall meaning remains clear. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with agreement, sentence boundaries and punctuation. For example, “high rise apartments houses dozens of families” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “Thus making it unaffordable…” is a sentence fragment. In “residing in dense vertical residential buildings places residents closer to hospitals,” the long construction would benefit from clearer punctuation and sentence control. There are also inconsistent spaces before punctuation and missing commas in lists. Review agreement and ensure each sentence has a complete main clause; careful editing would improve accuracy while preserving your range of structures.

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