Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-16

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)

Nowadays, the increasing population in large cities has created a shortage of houses. Some people believe that constructing tall apartment buildings can accommodate more people easily and is the most effective way to solve this problem. I agree with this view because tall building apartments can accommodate more people in limited space.

On the one hand, building tall apartment blocks is an effective way to provide accommodation for a growing urban population. The main reason is that the land in large cities is often limited and expensive. Therefore, constructing high-rise buildings allows a large number of families to live in the same area without using extra land. For example, in large cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, apartment buildings can provide homes for hundreds of families in one location. Moreover, these buildings can be constructed near workplaces, schools and other basic amenities.

On the other hand, I believe that relying on tall apartment buildings is not the perfect solution. Firstly, constructing high buildings can be expensive and the cost of maintenance, electricity and lifts may increase residents' living expenses. Secondly, overcrowded apartment complexes can create problems such as parking, traffic, noise and lack of privacy. Furthermore, some families prefer living in individual houses because they provide more privacy and are suitable for large households. Government should provide affordable housing projects in some areas and improving transportation facilities.

In conclusion, I largely agree that large apartment buildings are a more effective way to address housing space in large cities because they make better use of limited land.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear from the introduction: you agree that high-rise apartments make effective use of limited urban land, while acknowledging that they are not a complete solution. You address both the benefits and drawbacks, and the examples of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad help make the discussion relevant. This meets the task well, but the ideas are not developed evenly: the benefits are explained with a clear land-use rationale, whereas the costs, congestion and privacy concerns are listed more briefly. The final suggestion about affordable housing and transport is also not fully connected to your argument. To strengthen the response, explain how these alternatives complement high-rise construction and develop one drawback with a specific example or consequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, moving from an introduction to a benefits paragraph, a limitations paragraph and a conclusion. The contrast between “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” makes the two sides easy to follow, and the main points are generally presented in a logical order. Some linking is a little mechanical, however, with “Firstly,” “Secondly” and “Furthermore” introducing a sequence of points that are not always developed. The sentence about government housing and transport also feels detached from the preceding discussion, and the conclusion does not return to that qualification. Improve progression by linking each supporting point to its consequence and by making the relationship between your proposed alternatives and your overall position explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “shortage of houses,” “high-rise buildings,” “limited land,” “maintenance” and “overcrowded apartment complexes.” These choices make the subject clear, and some phrases show an attempt to use more specific language. However, there are several awkward or imprecise collocations, such as “tall building apartments,” “address housing space” and “provide accommodation for a growing urban population.” Repetition of “buildings,” “people” and “provide” also limits flexibility. Aim for more natural combinations and precise terms for the problem and its effects; for example, distinguish housing supply from housing space, and describe the pressure that density places on infrastructure. This would make the vocabulary more fluent and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a reason clause (“because they make better use of limited land”) and a relative clause (“because they provide more privacy”). Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and punctuation generally supports the structure. Some grammatical errors remain. In “Government should provide affordable housing projects in some areas and improving transportation facilities,” the coordinated verbs do not match in form; use “provide … and improve …” or “providing … and improving …”. The phrase “the cost of maintenance, electricity and lifts may increase residents’ living expenses” also has an unclear grammatical relationship between the listed items and “cost.” Revise such sentences for parallel structure and clear relationships. Greater consistency in these more complex constructions would improve accuracy.

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