Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-10
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)
In this contemporary society, it has become a large-scale business to build the apartment blocks in the big cities to facilitate homes. Individual wonder that it is a best way to provide homes in such cities.
From my perspective, I agree with this statement to some extent. There are numerous reasons for it. I will explain them categorically.
When we discuss about large cities, it depicts that the cities have large buildings, big parks, crowded traffic, number of hospitals, big educational institues, government offices which makes it harder to build own house. Consequentially, it is sometimes better to be in the apartment rather than living in own house.
Most of the communities choose apartments because they are far easier to reach their offices, universities and hospitals. Additionally, it provides better life-style opportunities.
Homes like apartments provide a more socialized society. Individuals can become more social. There are some policies in these apartments or buildings, people can have get together.
Moreover, some apartments give an eye-catching view from the balcony, like a sea view, sunset view or swimming pool view.
However sometimes it can become a curse for you as these buildings are usually situated in the hearts of the cities that might have noise pollution. So, you may face noise pollution and air pollution because such areas are crowded as well. Another reason is that if there is a technical issue in one area of building it can affect the whole society. Sometimes such issues may take a long time to be fixed.
Consequently, apartment blocks might be useful but can be disturbing under some circumstances.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
Your position is stated as partial agreement, and you give relevant reasons for apartment living, including access to workplaces and services, social opportunities, and possible noise and air pollution. This shows a response to the topic, but the central claim—that tall blocks are the best way to provide enough homes—is not examined in enough depth. Several points, such as the balcony views and socialising, describe lifestyle benefits rather than explaining how high-rise construction increases housing supply. The conclusion also repeats that apartments can be useful or disturbing without clarifying when you agree or what alternatives might be needed. Develop fewer points with specific explanation or examples, and connect each one directly to the question of providing sufficient homes.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, supporting points, a contrasting paragraph, and a concluding sentence. Linking expressions such as “Additionally,” “Moreover,” and “However” help signal the direction of ideas. However, progression within the argument is sometimes mechanical, and the opening promises to explain reasons “categorically” without establishing clear categories. The paragraph beginning “When we discuss about large cities” lists features of cities, but its connection to the claim about housing supply is not fully clear. Some references are also vague, as in “it can affect the whole society,” where the issue being referred to could be specified. Organise the body around distinct reasons and use clearer links between each reason and your position.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “noise pollution,” “air pollution,” “technical issue,” and “eye-catching view,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. There are also attempts at less common expressions, but several choices or combinations are unnatural or imprecise, such as “facilitate homes,” “Individual wonder,” and “socialized society.” Some wording is repetitive, particularly the repeated references to “big” cities and buildings, and “view” is repeated in the examples. Spelling errors such as “institues” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural collocations and precise housing vocabulary—for example, describe apartment blocks as “accommodating more residents” or “increasing housing density”—and check spelling carefully.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a conditional structure in “if there is a technical issue … it can affect the whole society” and a contrast introduced by “However.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors occur across the response. Examples include “it is a best way,” which needs an article adjustment, “When we discuss about,” where the verb pattern is incorrect, and “which makes it harder,” where the reference and agreement are unclear after a list of plural items. There are also missing articles or possessives in phrases such as “living in own house.” Work on article use, verb patterns, and sentence construction, especially when joining a long list to a main clause. More accurate control of these forms would make your argument easier to follow.
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