Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-04

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)

The question of whether owning a house or renting one is better has long been a point of debate among people. Some argue that renting a house is more beneficial while I am inclined to believe that owning a home has more benefits than drawbacks.

Proponents of the first view contend that it is better to rent a house in this current economic situation. This can be attributed to a minimum-wage job and family responsibilities which makes it very challenging to own a house for a middle-class person. Undeniably, homelessness is at an all-time high so even having a place to live is a privilege today. Consequently, people prefer to rent a house.

Conversely, advocates who prioritize owning a house assert that nowadays even small, congested house has sky-high rent. People who prefer to rent a house will pay a certain amount of their money to someone else throughout their lives. By the end of life, they don't own anything. Instead if they can save some money or take loans to make a down payment on their own house, then they have a sense of security that one day they will have their own house where they can spend the rest of their lives peacefully.

Another significant benefit is that you can decorate your house as you wish because you are the landlord. Furthermore, there is no burden of paying a huge rent each month.

In conclusion, owning a house has positive long-term impacts while renting is a better short-term choice. The government and hosing authorities and developers should provide sustainable and affordable housing schemes for everyone to own a house so more people can afford to own a home.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for the importance of home ownership and your opinion on whether this is positive or negative. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While you provide reasons for renting and owning, the discussion on whether this is a 'positive or negative situation' is underdeveloped. You mention that owning provides security and freedom, but you do not fully explore the broader societal implications of prioritizing home ownership over renting. To reach a higher band, ensure that your opinion is clearly articulated and supported with more depth in the body paragraphs, rather than just listing benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to link ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is a bit abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is slightly mechanical. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed central idea to improve the flow of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proponents', 'advocates', and 'sustainable'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'hosing authorities' (likely meant 'housing') and 'small, congested house has sky-high rent' (which lacks an article and pluralization). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Focus on learning collocations and ensuring correct word forms to enhance your lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'a minimum-wage job... which makes' (subject-verb agreement), 'small, congested house' (missing article), and 'you are the landlord' (which is logically incorrect in the context of owning a home). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve your accuracy.

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

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