Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Developing apartment complex is the best way to provide sufficient housing in metropolitans as it can allow more living space for people in a smaller space than building separate housing or everyone. Even though building large building blocks might create more pollution and unnecessary traffic congestion near the blocks, I agree with the former statement.

In large cities, the population is quite high due to availability of jobs and other services. However, the availablility of residences is not enough compared to the demand. In order to achieve this ever-growing demand, tall aparment building blocks can be introduced. But as this large number of apartments are confined in a small space, more than hundreds of people can live in a block, and they might use vehicles which can cause pollution to the environement. Also other necessities like health care, entertainment, markets are needed around these complexes.

Building these complexes can reduce the need to build separate housing for each individual which is also cost effective. It can also create communities and bring people together in their need. Furthermore, tt is cheaper than owning a separate home. Moreover, communities can gro up surrounding these complexes.

Even though building apartment complex has some disadvantages, it caters mostly benefits to people and can solve the housing issue in large cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

Your position is clear: you agree that tall apartment blocks are the best solution, and you give relevant reasons, including accommodating many residents in limited space and reducing the need for separate homes. You also acknowledge possible drawbacks such as pollution and traffic. However, the response addresses the task only partially because these points are mostly asserted rather than explained or supported with a specific example. The discussion of nearby healthcare, entertainment and markets is introduced but not connected clearly to your argument. The response is also below the required 250 words, so there is limited space to develop your ideas. Extend each main reason with explanation and a relevant example, and clarify how the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The main ideas generally follow a sensible order, and linking expressions such as “However,” “Furthermore” and “Moreover” help signal relationships. However, progression is limited because several points are listed without being developed, and the second body paragraph repeats the idea that communities can form around apartment complexes. The contrast introduced with “Even though” is not fully carried through, while “But” begins a sentence in a way that makes the connection to the previous point feel abrupt. Group related ideas into focused paragraphs, use referencing more clearly, and avoid repeating the same benefit so that the argument develops steadily.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the central argument, including “housing,” “demand,” “pollution,” “traffic congestion” and “cost effective.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “ever-growing demand” and “confined in a small space.” However, inaccurate word forms, spelling and collocations are noticeable and sometimes make the wording awkward: “metropolitans,” “availablility,” “aparment,” “environement,” and “cater mostly benefits” are examples. “Building blocks” is also unclear in this context, where “apartment blocks” would be more precise. Aim for accurate, natural collocations and proofread spelling; a more varied range of precise housing and urban-planning terms would make the argument clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Even though building large building blocks might create more pollution…” and a reason clause beginning “as.” Most sentences remain understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “Developing apartment complex is” has an article and number problem, and “as this large number of apartments are confined” has a mismatch between the singular “number” and the plural verb. The sentence beginning “Also other necessities…” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence. There are also errors in forms such as “tt is” and “gro up,” which interrupt reading. Practise accurate articles, agreement and complete sentence construction, then proofread punctuation and typing.

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