Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-07-25

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 8.0)

It is widely debated in several nations that obtaining a house is more significant than renting. Although both owning and renting can equally provide a sense of home, I contend that this development is predominantly a positive situation because most individuals value practicality and security.

One key reason why people find it more practical to permanently own a house is because of the control it offers. Homeowners have the freedom to renovate or modify their house without worrying for potential consequences. A growing family, for example, is in need for an additional bedroom to accommodate each of their child, aiming to foster privacy and individuality. Hence, they are free to remodify their house by constructing a bedroom, unlike in rental properties where permission from the landlord is of paramount importance. With that, homeownership is becoming prevalent in society because people can have a permanent place to live and the liberty to improve the property.

Moreover, a permanent home provides financial and housing security. Homeowners are not obliged to pay rental fees, which may increase at anytime and may negatively affect their financial stability. There is also a certainty that after paying mortgage, people have built a valuable asset that they can take advantage of in the future. Since the value of properties are consistently increasing, homeowners may sell their property at a higher price before moving into another residential property. In my view, it is ultimately a positive situation because people are more aware about the benefits of owning a property which can be highly beneficial in the long run.

In conclusion, the decision of people to own a house is significantly influenced by the practical reasons if offers, as well as the housing and financial security. I believe that is it largely a positive situation because people are acknowledging the long-term advantages of homeownership.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing clear reasons for the importance of homeownership (control and financial security) and a distinct position on whether this is a positive development. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the need for extra bedrooms for growing families. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could further explore the potential negative aspects of homeownership, such as the lack of mobility or the burden of maintenance costs, to provide a more balanced and nuanced discussion, although the current approach is sufficient for a strong score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas progress logically. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Hence', and 'In my view' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is clear. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of cohesive devices, and the referencing is accurate throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally precise. The student uses topic-specific language such as 'mortgage', 'financial stability', 'residential property', and 'paramount importance'. There are occasional minor inaccuracies, such as 'remodify' (which is redundant; 'modify' or 'renovate' is better) and 'each of their child' (should be 'each of their children'). However, these do not impede communication. The range is adequate to express complex ideas clearly, and the student demonstrates an ability to use less common lexical items appropriately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a good control of a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, and the grammar is generally accurate. Some minor errors persist, such as 'worrying for potential consequences' (should be 'worrying about') and 'the decision of people to own a house is significantly influenced by the practical reasons if offers' (should be 'that it offers'). These errors are infrequent and do not cause difficulty for the reader. The punctuation is generally correct, and the overall grammatical control is solid.

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