Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Nowadays, there is a continuos debate about environment and how building field works. Some people believe that building higher blocks is a better solution for huge cities, while others believe the contrary. In my opinion, building tall blocks can provide more homes in crowded cities because it saves space and also the price for renting a house can be too high.

On the one hand, it is difficult tu find a rent in a large city because usually is over-crowded. Building tall apartment blocks is beneficial because it provides more accomodation for people in only one place. Regarding building houses, it requires a bigger amount of money and more space. Building 10 houses involves hectares and it is suitable only for a few families, while creating a tall block does not require so many km. For instance, I live in a city called Iasi, which is the second largest city in Romania. Over the years, the number of apartment blocks increased dramatically because more laws regarding soil, nature and saving the environment were created.

On the other hand, in large cities, such as London, the rent is expensive, so the best way to provide enough accomodation is building flats. Renting a flat, rather than renting a house is cheaper and easier. For exemple, one of my best friends is living in London. He complained to me so many times about the price for renting a house. He would like in the future more blocks to be build. in London.

In conclusion, I believe building tall apartment blocks is crucial for providing enough houses in crowded cities were the number of people is increasing in every year. Renting a flat is the best way to provide accomodation because it does not involve more amount of money.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you support tall apartment blocks as a way to provide homes in crowded cities, and you give relevant reasons about land use and affordability. The comparison between ten houses and one tall block, along with the examples of Iasi and London, helps address the topic. However, the response only partly develops the argument. The London example focuses mainly on high rent and a friend’s preference, rather than showing how building more blocks would increase the supply of homes or make housing more affordable. The opening also mentions environmental debate, but this point is not explained. Develop each reason with a clearer link to the question and consider acknowledging a limitation of high-rise housing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs signalled by “On the one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion. The main ideas are generally grouped by paragraph, and examples are placed alongside the points they illustrate. However, progression is not always clear: the second body paragraph repeats the claim that flats are cheaper without explaining how this directly solves the shortage of homes. Some linking phrases feel mechanical or do not express a genuine contrast, since both body paragraphs support your position. Improve the flow by organising paragraphs around distinct reasons, using transitions that show their relationship, and making references such as “it” and “this” more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main argument, including “over-crowded,” “apartment blocks,” “accommodation,” and “renting.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. For example, “find a rent” is not a natural expression, “the price for renting a house” is repeated, and “does not require so many km” is unclear in this context. Spelling errors such as “continuos,” “accomodation,” and “exemple” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise range for discussing housing supply, density, and affordability, and check spelling and collocations when editing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a relative clause in “I live in a city called Iasi, which is the second largest city in Romania” and a comparison using “while.” The overall meaning is usually understandable, but errors in sentence structure, verb forms, and articles recur. Examples include “because usually is over-crowded,” “He would like in the future more blocks to be build,” and “were the number of people is increasing in every year.” The sentence beginning “Regarding building houses” is also awkwardly constructed. Practise forming clauses with an explicit subject, using passive forms accurately, and checking verb agreement and tense. More consistent control would make your ideas easier to follow.

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