Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-12

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)

Some people argue that the best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks, I partly disagree with this statement and I will explain the reasons in this essay.

On the one hand, large cities are known to be the dream to live in, in every state, because states with centralized governments tend to have all the services and the best infrastructure in the capital, therefore, most individuals seek to get homes there. However, this creates the overpopulation problem, which also affects infrastructure and the quality of services a government can offer to a higher number of people. So, building tall apartment blocks to provide enough homes won't solve the problem. In addition to overpopulation, it can cost us many green spaces or sevrices. There's also an architecture design for big cities which suggests a maximum number of individuals per square kilometer. The solution of this problem is by providing a similar service and facilities in other parts of the state, making people remain in their cities while getting everything they need in the same quality. Analysts did a study on a group of people in France and found out that 80% of them didn't want to leave their city.

On the other hand, some individuals argue that they're free to go to large cities and have a home there just like anyone else capable of doing this. The job opportunities found in larger cities isn't found in their city, so they won't wait until someone finds them a solution.

In conclusion, from my perspective, I firmly believe that if there equal opportunities, services and infrastructure for everyone, no one will leave his hometown, but the need of a higher quality life is what makes people do so.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear, partly disagreeing position and address the question of whether tall blocks are the best solution. Your point that they may not solve overcrowding, alongside the suggestion to improve services in other regions, is relevant. However, the response focuses more on why people move to cities than on the practical advantages and disadvantages of apartment blocks themselves. The claim about losing green spaces or services is not explained, and the France study is presented without showing how it supports your argument. The opposing view about people’s freedom and job opportunities is also brief. Develop these points with specific reasoning or examples, and make the comparison between high-rise housing and alternatives more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a recognisable introduction, two body paragraphs signalled by “On the one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion, so the reader can follow its broad structure. However, progression within the first body paragraph is uneven: it moves from centralised services to overpopulation, then green spaces, architectural limits, regional investment and a study, without clearly connecting each point. The second body paragraph introduces a counterargument but does not develop it or link it back to the central question. Some linking is mechanical, and the opening sentence joins two complete ideas with only a comma. Use topic sentences that state each paragraph’s main claim, then order supporting explanations and examples so each clearly advances your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic-related vocabulary, including “overpopulation,” “infrastructure,” “job opportunities” and “green spaces,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “centralized governments” and “maximum number of individuals per square kilometer.” Some choices are imprecise or unnatural, however: “the dream to live in” does not express the intended idea naturally, “cost us many green spaces or sevrices” is unclear, and “an architecture design” is not an appropriate collocation. The spelling error “sevrices” also affects accuracy. Choose more precise collocations and check spelling; for example, describe cities as “attractive places to live” and say that high-rise development may “reduce green space.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, using clauses with “because,” “which” and “while,” and most of the argument remains understandable. However, several errors in sentence construction and agreement reduce accuracy. The opening joins two independent clauses with a comma; use a full stop or a conjunction. In “The job opportunities found in larger cities isn't found,” the subject and verb do not agree, and the repeated “found” makes the structure awkward. “If there equal opportunities” is missing a verb, while “no one will leave his hometown” shifts to a singular pronoun after a general plural idea. Review agreement, complete conditional clauses, and punctuation, and aim to make complex sentences accurate as well as varied.

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