Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-28

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 5.0)

In many large cities, the demand for housing is increasing rapidly due to population growth. Some people believe that building tall apartment blocks is the best way to provide enough homes. I largely agree with this view because high rise buildings can accommodate more people and make better use of limited land.

The main advantages of construction tall apartment buildings is that they can provide accommodation for a large number of people in a relatively small area. Land is often expensive and limited in major cities.so buildings individual houses is not always practical. For example, a single high rise buildings can provide homes for hundreds of families, whereas the same amount

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You state a clear position in the introduction, saying you “largely agree,” and give a relevant reason: high-rise buildings can house more people while using limited urban land. However, the response addresses the task only minimally because it ends before developing this argument or considering any qualification to your position. The example beginning “a single high rise buildings can provide homes for hundreds of families” is unfinished, so it does not provide usable support. The response also falls substantially short of the required 250 words. To strengthen your answer, complete the example, explain how this approach compares with alternatives, and develop a second reason or limitation before reaching a clear conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The opening moves in a sensible order from the housing problem to the proposed solution and your position. The phrase “because” also signals the reason for your agreement. However, there is no developed paragraph structure or overall progression beyond the introduction and the start of one supporting point. The final sentence breaks off at “whereas the same amount,” leaving the comparison incomplete and making the response feel unfinished. To improve cohesion, organise the essay into an introduction, separate body paragraphs and a conclusion, and use clear links between fully developed ideas. Ensure each paragraph has a central point and that examples are connected explicitly to the argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary such as “demand for housing,” “population growth,” “accommodate,” and “limited land,” which helps communicate the central issue. There is some variety in how you describe housing and urban space. However, several word combinations or forms are inaccurate, including “advantages of construction tall apartment buildings,” “buildings individual houses,” and “a single high rise buildings.” These choices make parts of the argument less natural and occasionally harder to follow. Aim to learn common collocations as complete phrases, such as “the advantages of constructing high-rise apartment buildings” and “building detached houses.” More precise vocabulary and careful proofreading would make your ideas clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple statements and a complex sentence, for example, “I largely agree with this view because high rise buildings can accommodate more people.” This shows an attempt to connect ideas using subordinate clauses. However, control is uneven: “The main advantages … is” has subject–verb disagreement, and “a single high rise buildings” has an article and plural-form problem. The sentence beginning “For example” is incomplete, so its comparison cannot be understood as a finished grammatical structure. Punctuation also needs attention, particularly the missing space after the full stop in “cities.so.” Practise checking agreement, singular and plural forms, and sentence completion, then proofread punctuation.

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

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