Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-20

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 6.0)

World-wide in developing countries like USA, China, UAE, UK etc, vertical development has been considered as a best developing approach for larger cities.

Both vertical and horizontal expansion of the cities, depends on different circumstances like population in accordance with the area of the country, the diameter of the cities inhabiting the major portions of its population. Both has its pros and cones.

If a city expands horizontally, people will be benefited with fresh air and sunlight and an independent open sky having no locks on their vision. They can view around their city's atmosphere and can have far look on the outskirts of their cities from their roofs. But, in case of larger cities, the challanges they would have to face includes, long travel time which might take hours, various rushy spots while travelling from one place to another, no fresh food like milk, fruits and vegetables as huge horizontal expansion would make it impossible for such supplements to reach the mid city on the day of their production.

However, vertical expansion has very few cones like blocking the views of completely open sky and having a far look on the outskirts, becasue of which some might feel conjusted or uncomfrotable. But, this way of development would allow more people to reside while covering very smaller portion of land as compared to the horizontal expansion. It would be comparatively easier to travel and to get fresh food in the city and would allow the farmers to equip more land for agricultural purposes.

In a nutshell, the vertical expansion has far more important pros as compared to its cones and is the best way to provide housing in the large cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you favour vertical development, and the conclusion restates that it is the best way to provide housing. You address both approaches and give relevant comparisons, including travel time, access to fresh food, open space and the amount of land used. This covers the task well. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained: for example, the claim that vertical development makes it easier to obtain fresh food is not clearly linked to how apartment blocks achieve this. The opening also refers broadly to several countries without developing a specific example. To strengthen the response, explain the cause-and-effect behind your main advantages and support one or two claims with a concrete example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall structure: it introduces the two forms of development, considers horizontal expansion, contrasts it with vertical growth, and ends with a clear conclusion. Paragraphing helps the reader follow this comparison, and transitions such as “However” and “In a nutshell” signal shifts effectively. Some connections are less clear or feel mechanical. The opening sentence about developing countries does not lead smoothly into the next paragraph, and the long list of disadvantages in the horizontal-development paragraph makes the progression harder to follow. The repeated contrast between “pros and cones” also gives the argument a formulaic feel. Group related points more clearly and use referencing or transitions that show how each example supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt topic-related vocabulary, including “vertical expansion,” “horizontal expansion,” “agricultural purposes” and “outskirts,” so the reader can understand the main comparison. However, the range and control are limited by repeated or inaccurate choices. “Pros and cones” is repeated, “rushy spots” is not a natural phrase for traffic congestion, and “supplements” does not clearly describe fresh food supplies. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “challanges,” “becasue” and “conjusted,” which reduce the accuracy of the writing. Aim for precise collocations and check spelling carefully; using a smaller number of well-controlled expressions will make your argument sound clearer and more academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple statements and longer sentences with clauses, such as the sentence beginning “If a city expands horizontally” and the contrast introduced by “However.” This shows an attempt to vary sentence structure. However, control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make the reader pause. For example, “Both vertical and horizontal expansion … depends” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “Both has its pros” also needs a plural verb. The opening phrase “World-wide in developing countries” is awkwardly constructed, and several sentences contain long strings of ideas that would be clearer if divided. Review agreement, articles and sentence boundaries, and practise building complex sentences with a clear main clause.

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