Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-01
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 6.5)
Opinions differ regarding whether owing a home rather than renting is crucial. This has been significantly an important issue in recent years. Examining the reasons behind this trend and addressing the questions raised provides a clearer understanding of the matter.
One significant reason for this is the traditional believe that having your own house is a sign of wealthy and stability. In countries like Kenya for example, the first priority after getting money or being employed is buying a house or a land. This has affected several people especially those who cannot afford because they strain a lot. Furthermore, having a home can be peaceful since there is a lot of privacy as compared to a rental. For instance if one has fenced his or her compound appropriately, nobody can see what is happening inside thus providing a sense of privacy.
On the other hand, owning a home can be very expensive to several individuals and can consequently lead to depression if one cannot withstand the pressure of the society. In Australian states for example, buying a land or a home is very expensive. Some people take a huge amounts of loans to purchase such property. As a result, the individuals struggle to repay the debt for several years leading to a long term suffering. Instead, renting can be a good alternative particularly for the low income earners.
To conclude, although owning a home can be a sign of wealth and prestige, it can be a negative development specifically to the low income earners if not moderated.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the importance of home ownership and your opinion on whether this is positive or negative. You have provided relevant examples, such as the cultural context in Kenya and the financial pressures in Australia. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the discussion on why it is a negative situation could be expanded further by exploring the broader economic implications or the benefits of renting beyond just 'low income earners'. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are fully extended with more depth and nuance, rather than just stating the points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'For instance', and 'On the other hand' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel a bit abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression could be smoother. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is more tightly woven to create a more natural, cohesive flow throughout the entire piece.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'prestige', 'consequently', and 'moderated'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'traditional believe' (should be 'belief'), 'sign of wealthy' (should be 'wealth'), and 'buying a land' (should be 'buying land'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do highlight a need for more precision. To move up, focus on learning the correct word forms and collocations, and try to incorporate more sophisticated, topic-specific vocabulary to demonstrate a wider range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully use some complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'This has been significantly an important issue' (word order), 'a huge amounts of loans' (subject-verb agreement), and 'if one cannot withstand the pressure of the society' (article usage). While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, article usage, and the correct placement of adverbs within your sentences.
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