Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-06
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)
Nowadays, many people work in professional jobs around the world. It is believed that, in many countries, owning a house rather than renting one is very important to many people. I think this is a positive development rather than a negative development. I will explain why this is the case.
To begin with, some individuals own a house because they have saved money to buy property and land. It is more beneficial for the future because the value of property increases day by day. As a result, some rich people buy more houses and designing them according to their own taste. For example, in the well-known city of Surat, many individuals have bought a wonderful, well-designed houses because they prefer to live in their own homes instead of renting a home. In addition, many professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and teachers invest in houses and shops because these investments help them save money and build wealth in the future.
On the other hand, some people do not prefer to own houses because they have no money and are not working in professional jobs so they may live in a rental home. For example, some people believe that renting a house is more beneficial because they live with different cultures and traditions and also celebrate different festivals and special events. As a result, they gain traditional knowledge and create strong emotional bonds with their neighbours.
To conclude, some people prefer to own their own homes rather than rent them. I believe owning a home is a positive development and the government should provide home loans so that more people can afford to buy a home of their own instead of paying rent.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: explaining why home ownership is important and providing an opinion on whether it is positive or negative. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention financial investment and stability, the arguments could be more thoroughly extended. For instance, the discussion on renting is slightly tangential, as it focuses on the benefits of renting rather than directly addressing why the preference for ownership is a positive or negative societal trend. To reach a higher band, ensure that every point directly supports your stated position throughout the essay.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In addition', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more sophisticated. For example, the transition between the benefits of owning and the benefits of renting feels abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that ideas within paragraphs are more tightly connected would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'property', 'invest', and 'financial stability' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'designing them according to their own taste' (should be 'design them') and 'a wonderful, well-designed houses' (grammatical error in article usage). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. Try to incorporate more topic-specific collocations related to real estate and socio-economic trends to improve your lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'a wonderful, well-designed houses' (plural/article mismatch) and 'some people do not prefer to own houses because they have no money and are not working in professional jobs so they may live in a rental home' (run-on structure). To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, article usage, and varying your sentence structures to include more complex clauses with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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