Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-11
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)
It is often argued that it is very crucial for people in some countries to owning a home instead of renting one. In my opinion, it is positive development because in this way people can live better and also they can save their money.
The foremost argument to prove my point is that people are able to live comfortabally in their own home because they are free to do any thing they want. For instance, they can decorate their houses, make changes to the rooms and choose furniture according to their own preferences without asking anyone for permission. In contrast, there are restriction in renting a home you cannot do anything with your own will.
Another important reason to prove my stand is that people can also save their money because the money they have to give the landlords. Instead of this they can use this money for other impotant purposes such as food, clothing, education and family needs. Moreover, after buying a home people do not have to worry about increasing rent prices. For example, people who own their homes can save asignificant amount of money over time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You give a clear opinion that home ownership is positive and provide two relevant reasons: greater freedom to personalise a home and avoiding rent payments or increases. These points address the positive/negative part of the question, but the response does not explain sufficiently why owning a home is especially important in some countries. The reasons are also brief: for example, the savings point lists household expenses but does not explain how ownership compares financially over the long term. The response is 61 words below the required minimum, which limits the opportunity to develop and support your ideas. To strengthen the response, explain possible cultural or financial reasons for this preference and extend each main point with fuller reasoning or a specific example.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction states your view, followed by separate paragraphs presenting two reasons. Linking phrases such as “The foremost argument,” “Another important reason,” and “Moreover” help signal the progression. However, the organisation is somewhat mechanical because both body paragraphs begin with similar formulaic wording, and the ideas within them are not always connected smoothly. For instance, “Instead of this” does not clearly link the rent-payment point to the list of expenses, while “In contrast” introduces a restriction without a fully formed transition between the sentences. Use more natural referencing and vary how you introduce supporting points. A conclusion would also give the essay a more complete overall shape.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including topic-related terms such as “landlords,” “rent prices,” “decorate,” and “preferences.” Some phrasing also shows an attempt to express ideas beyond very basic vocabulary, as in “according to their own preferences.” However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors reduce precision: “very crucial,” “live comfortabally,” “important purposes,” and “a significant amount” (written as “asignificant”). “Money they have to give the landlords” is also an awkward way to describe rent. Aim for more natural housing and finance vocabulary, and check spelling carefully. More precise expressions would help you explain the reasons with greater clarity and variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You use a mixture of simple sentences and some longer structures, including a reason clause with “because” and a relative clause in “people who own their homes.” The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors occur in basic patterns and in attempts to join ideas. For example, “for people to owning” uses the wrong verb form, and “there are restriction” has a plural-agreement error. The sentence beginning “In contrast, there are restriction in renting a home” also joins two independent ideas without suitable punctuation or a conjunction. Practise infinitive patterns, plural agreement, and sentence boundaries. Building on your existing longer sentences with accurate clauses will improve range as well as control.
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