Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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)

It is often argued whether or not constructing high buldings consisting of apartments or flats, is the best solution for the provison of housing in major cities. I don't particularly agree that the establishment of high-rise buildings are indeed the best way to house the huge population in cities.

Major cities such as Chittagong and Dhaka in Bangladesh are usually immensely populated with limited area for housing societies. In such cases skyrise buildings of 10 to 15 floors, with 2 apartments in each floor seems to be the plausible solution for providing homes. The block can house multiple families at once at a fraction of the area reuired. It also reduces congestion by eradicating the need to build several small buildings so more space is available to build parks or gardens instead. Moreover, it is much faster when one developer builds one tall building then when several developers are contracted to construct many small ones. Additionally, since less time is required, the amount of pollution generated from cranes and other equipments involved in the process, is minimised.

However, apartments in such buildings are often sold or rented out at high prices, so regardless of there being housing oppurtunities, it may not be affordable for many people. Futhermore, if the building is of poor structure, it is prone to collapsing during earthquakes, much like many in Nepal. Similarly, not all land in all cities is well equiped to support tall apartment blocks. Lastly, cities are usually crowded with huge shopping malls of commercial buildings. Finding space to build these buildings can be challenging, and often demand clearing out vegetation or forests.

Therefore, building tall apartment blocks in major cities is a good initiative to provide homes. But there often a few hindrances which can be resolved by considering the financial condition of the citizens and cementing a strong infrastructure of the building itself.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you do not fully agree that tall apartment blocks are the best solution, while acknowledging their usefulness in densely populated cities. The discussion addresses both advantages and drawbacks, including efficient land use, faster construction, affordability, earthquake risk, and limited suitable land. This gives the response a relevant, balanced basis. Some points, however, are more fully explained than others: the benefits of building vertically are linked to parks and reduced construction time, whereas the concerns about affordability and clearing vegetation are stated briefly and would benefit from specific explanation or an example. The conclusion also shifts towards calling the approach a “good initiative” without clearly restating the limits of your disagreement. Develop the counterarguments and make your final position more precise to strengthen the response further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph presenting benefits, a paragraph outlining drawbacks, and a conclusion. The progression from the housing pressures in Dhaka and Chittagong to the limitations of high-rise construction is easy to follow. Linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “However,” and “Therefore” help signal the stages of the argument. At times, though, the sequence of points feels list-like, particularly in the drawbacks paragraph, where affordability, earthquake safety, land suitability, and vegetation are introduced without much connection or development. Some references are also unclear: “these buildings” could refer to apartment blocks or commercial buildings. Group related ideas and use clearer referencing, while varying transitions so the links feel less formulaic.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “high-rise buildings,” “congestion,” “affordable,” “infrastructure,” and “earthquakes.” These choices make the main ideas clear, and there are attempts at more specific language such as “a fraction of the area required.” However, several spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural combinations reduce accuracy, including “buldings,” “provison,” “skyrise,” and “equiped.” Phrases such as “the establishment of high-rise buildings” and “cementing a strong infrastructure” are also awkward in this context. Aim for accurate, natural collocations rather than more elaborate wording, and proofread carefully for spelling. This would make your vocabulary more precise and consistent while preserving the useful range already present.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional phrasing (“In such cases…”) and a contrast introduced by “However.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “the establishment … are” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and “2 apartments in each floor seems” needs agreement and a different preposition. The comparison “faster … then when” is not formed correctly, while “there often a few hindrances” is missing a verb. Commas also interrupt some sentence structures, as in the opening sentence. Review agreement, articles, prepositions, and comparative constructions, then check punctuation in longer sentences. More consistent control would allow the range of structures to support your argument more effectively.

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