Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-23

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 4.5)

The best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks.

In big city like metropolitan, there's a huge housing problems. The cost of living is very high. To build a house in a big city is a herculean task. in big city population is very high. the housing buildings are overcrowded. So to meet up the requirements it is best for providing enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks. in this way we can adjust a large number of people in one building while using a less area. i strongly agree with this statement. it is the best way to provide shelter to people who are in search of a job comes to big city and live there.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You state a clear position—“I strongly agree”—and give a relevant reason: apartment blocks can house many people while using less land. However, the response addresses the task only minimally because this central idea is not explained or supported with a specific example, and there is no consideration of why this is the best approach compared with alternatives. The response contains 101 words, so it is 149 words short of the required 250; the 27 words copied from the prompt are not included in that count. This leaves too little space to develop your argument. To improve, explain how high-rise housing could ease shortages and add a concrete example or a qualification about its limitations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic line of thought: it introduces housing pressure, mentions high population and overcrowding, then supports apartment blocks as a solution. This gives the reader a general sense of your argument. However, ideas are presented in one paragraph without a clear progression, and several points repeat the same general claim rather than building on one another. The sequence “huge housing problems,” “cost of living is very high,” and “population is very high” is not linked clearly to the proposed solution. The repeated use of “in big city” also makes the flow mechanical. Organise the essay into an introduction, developed body paragraphs, and a conclusion, using clear links to show how each reason supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “housing problems,” “overcrowded,” “population,” and “apartment blocks,” and “herculean task” shows an attempt to use a less common expression. However, the overall range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “meet up the requirements,” “adjust a large number of people,” and “people who are in search of a job comes to big city.” These choices sometimes make the intended meaning less clear. Aim for precise collocations commonly used in discussions of urban housing, such as “meet housing demand,” “accommodate residents,” and “people moving to cities for work.” Vary repeated wording such as “big city” with “major urban centre” or “large city.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Most sentences use simple structures, and the main position is understandable, but grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between ideas unclear. Examples include “In big city” and “in big city population,” which need articles, and “a huge housing problems,” where the article and plural noun do not agree. In “people who are in search of a job comes,” the verb does not agree with the plural subject, and the sentence shifts awkwardly between “people” and “live there.” Capitalisation after full stops is also inconsistent. There is little variety in sentence structure, so the response does not yet show reliable control of more complex forms. Practise accurate articles, subject–verb agreement, and combining related ideas into clear sentences.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.