Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-08

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 7.5)

In some countries, owning a home is considered more important than renting one. This is mainly because people associate home ownership with financial security and stability. However, I believe that placing too much importance on owning a property can be a negative situation, as purchasing a home requires substantial money and can reduce people's flexibility to relocate.

To begin with, owning a home requires a significant amount of money and time. People need to save a large amount of money or take out a mortgage to purchase a property, while they may also have to spend time finding suitable land, dealing with architectural expenses and completing paperwork related to property registration. For example, an average salaried person who wants to build or purchase their own home may have to work for many years and carefully manage their income to maintain their family's standard of living while paying for the property. Therefore, although owning a home can provide a sense of security, it can also place considerable financial pressure on individuals.

In addition to this, homeowners have more maintenance responsibilities and may find it difficult to relocate. People living in their own homes are responsible for paying for repairs and maintaining basic facilities, whereas tenants can often rely on landlords to deal with minor repairs and maintenance. For instance, when homeowners need to travel out of town for a long period, they may have to make arrangements to look after their property. Conversely, people living in rented accommodation generally have fewer responsibilities related to maintenance. Furthermore, renting provides greater flexibility for people who need to change jobs or move to another city. A person living in a rented apartment can relocate more easily when a better career opportunity arises, whereas a homeowner may be reluctant to leave a property in which they have invested a considerable amount of money.

To conclude, owning a home is important in some countries because it provides people with a sense of stability and security. Nevertheless, I believe that considering home ownership more important than renting can be a negative situation because it may create significant financial pressure and limit people's ability to relocate according to their career needs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly explain why home ownership is valued—citing financial security and stability—and provide a well-reasoned argument for why prioritizing it can be negative, specifically focusing on financial burden and lack of mobility. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the comparison between the responsibilities of homeowners and tenants. Your position is clear from the introduction and is maintained consistently throughout the essay. The structure is logical, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes your main points without introducing new information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'To begin with,' 'In addition to this,' 'Conversely,' and 'Nevertheless.' These transitions help the reader follow your argument smoothly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for the importance of home ownership from the negative aspects. The referencing is clear, and the flow between sentences is natural, contributing to a coherent and well-structured response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. You use topic-specific terminology such as 'mortgage,' 'architectural expenses,' 'property registration,' and 'rented accommodation' accurately. The language is natural and appropriate for an academic context. While the vocabulary is effective and clear, it could be elevated slightly further to reach a higher band by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items. However, the current range is more than adequate for the task and shows good control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'Although owning a home can provide a sense of security, it can also place considerable financial pressure on individuals.' The grammar is highly accurate, with very few, if any, errors. Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your arguments. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text.

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