Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-14

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)

There are many beliefs in the people that the most convenient way to provide numerous homes in large and populated cities is to construct big and tall buildings for flats. I partially agree with the statement. Tall apartment blocks are an effective solution, but they should be combined with other housing strategies.

Generally, urban areas are over-populated because people migrate from villages to big cities in search of endless oppurtunities and eventually there will be a shortage of land. Tall or high-rise buildings can solve this problem by accomodating more people in limited space. In Mumbai, for instance, we see tall buildings everywhere for home because mumbai is a financial capital of India and people from rural areas try to settle down there. Banglore, for another example, is currently a IT (Information technology) hub of our nation and as a result, software engineers from all over the country try their best to get a job and we see people residing in tall buildings only due to shortage of land.

Relying exclusively on high-rise buildings can reduce residents' quality of life. A large number of residents in one area increases demand for water, electricity, roads, and public transport. If infrastructure does not expand at the same pace, residents may experience traffic congestion and water shortages. In Mumbai itself, for example, there is a big problem of traffic although government is trying to solve the problem by constructing more roads but they cannot eliminate the whole issue.

In conclusion, I believe that tall apartment blocks play an important role in addressing housing shortages because they make efficient use of limited urban land. However, this approach should be combined with development and improvements to public infrastructure to ensure that cities remain liveable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: you partially agree that high-rise housing is effective, but argue it should be paired with other strategies. You address both the benefits and drawbacks, supporting the first with examples from Mumbai and Bangalore and the second with pressure on services and traffic. This gives the response relevant, extended support. However, the discussion focuses mainly on infrastructure rather than explaining what other housing strategies could complement apartment blocks, and the examples largely illustrate urban growth rather than comparing housing approaches. Develop this part with a specific alternative, such as building medium-density housing in outer districts, and explain how it would help meet demand while easing pressure on city centres.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall progression: it introduces a qualified position, presents the case for high-rise housing, considers a limitation, and concludes by restating the balanced view. Paragraphing is appropriate, and links such as “for instance,” “for another example,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the argument. The contrast between efficient land use and pressure on services is also logically organised. At times, however, the examples in the first body paragraph feel like a sequence of similar illustrations rather than steps in a developing argument. The long sentence beginning “In Mumbai itself” also joins the traffic problem and the government response somewhat awkwardly. Use clearer sentence boundaries and make each example advance a distinct point.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “shortage of land,” “high-rise buildings,” “infrastructure,” “traffic congestion,” and “water shortages.” These choices make the main ideas clear, and phrases such as “make efficient use of limited urban land” are suitably precise. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural choices that limit flexibility: “beliefs in the people,” “endless opportunities,” and “residing in tall buildings only due to shortage of land” do not express the intended ideas naturally. Spelling errors such as “oppurtunities,” “accomodating,” and “Banglore” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural collocations and check spelling, especially in key topic words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including a conditional sentence (“If infrastructure does not expand at the same pace…”) and a relative clause (“because they make efficient use…”). Meaning remains clear throughout, and several sentences are controlled accurately. Some grammatical errors persist, however. In “There are many beliefs in the people,” the construction is faulty; “people believe that…” would be more accurate. “Banglore is currently a IT hub” has an article error, while “although government is trying” needs an article or a plural noun. The sentence beginning “In Mumbai itself” also has a comma splice between two independent clauses. Improve control of articles and sentence boundaries while continuing to use varied structures.

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