Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some countries owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people. Why might this be the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Buying a house is considered more important then renting a house in some countries. In this essay I am going to discuss about the negative aspects of the situation.

In my perspective, purchasing or renting a house should depend on person's own choice and will rather then this decision is taken based on societal pressure. Moreover, buying or renting a house depends on the financial condition and prospects of the person whether he can afford it or not.

On of the first reason for buying a house should be that a person needs it or not . Home is where the family shares each other responsiblities and care for each other. It does not depend on the place , whether its bought or rented. People prioritize peace and relationships over property. Suppose if a person is obsessive over buying a house and he spends all his youth and his time just making money so that he can provide a constant place to their kids or family but looses his connection with his family , its not worthwhile. As I have seen alot of people who went to different countries to earn money so that they are able to buy a house but are unable to provide the desired attention and affection to their kids and thus looses on of the most important joys over life.

Purchasing a home or renting a home is based on financial resources and financial freedom. If people are financially struggling and are not able to afford a house then they should rent a house as its convenient to do so. The decision should only be takene out of someones own choice and savings as it is not easy to buy a house with the ongoing high cost of lands and houses.

As a result, its true that owning a house is very important decision in someone's life and this decision should be taken after carefull consideration but on the other hand its also true that many societies and many culture attach this decision with someones credibility and hardwork and status. People think that if someone has its own home then he is wealthy as compared to the person who is renting an apartment or house. So, both the situations are extremely connected with the status of the person and its not a positive thing to do so.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear negative view, especially in the conclusion, where you argue that linking home ownership with wealth, hard work and status is “not a positive thing.” You also offer relevant points about personal choice, affordability and the possible cost of prioritising a house over family relationships. However, the task asks why owning a home is important in some countries, and this part is only touched on through the brief reference to social status and credibility. Much of the response argues that renting can be acceptable rather than explaining the cultural or practical reasons people value ownership. Develop those reasons directly, then support your negative judgement with a more focused explanation and example. This would make the response address both parts more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an introduction, several body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the main position can be followed. Paragraphs generally group related points, such as affordability and the effect of pursuing ownership on family life. However, progression is not always clear: the paragraph beginning “On of the first reason” discusses family relationships rather than a reason for ownership, and the final paragraph introduces status after the essay has largely focused on choice and finances. Linking phrases such as “Moreover,” “As a result” and “on the other hand” are used, but some connections feel mechanical or do not clearly show the relationship between ideas. Use topic sentences that match each paragraph’s purpose and make references such as “this decision” more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “financial resources,” “societal pressure,” “affection” and “credibility.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “ongoing high cost” and “financial freedom.” However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or repetitive, which limits precision: “shares each other responsiblities,” “looses on of the most important joys over life” and “attach this decision with” are difficult or unnatural formulations. Spelling errors such as “alot,” “carefull” and “responsiblities” also reduce control. Aim to use familiar expressions accurately before reaching for more complex wording, and check spelling and collocations during revision. For example, describe people as “place great importance on home ownership” rather than repeating “buying a house.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “If people are financially struggling … then they should rent” and a longer example beginning “Suppose if a person…”. These attempts show some range, but complex sentences are often difficult to control, and errors sometimes make the meaning less clear. Examples include “should depend on person’s own choice,” “whether he can afford it or not,” and “many societies and many culture attach this decision,” where articles, agreement or sentence construction need attention. There are also inconsistent forms in “he spends … but looses” and punctuation problems, including spaces before commas and full stops. Practise building longer sentences around one clear main clause, then check articles, subject–verb agreement and punctuation.

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