Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-17
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, it is essential to own a house than to rent one in a majority of the countries. The reason why this is the case is that the high rate of rent and the cost of living. This is a positive development because it helps to conserve resources and plan for the future
To begin with, one main reason why owning a home is very crucial is that the cost of renting has increased tremendously. Many people find it difficult to pay their house rent regularly or as at when due because of high cost of living. They prefer to build an uncompleted apartment rather than renting. As a results more money is saved as well as more investment is established. For instance, many civil servants prefer to build their residence home instead of spending enormously on rent, consequently enhances a quality of life and promoting mental and psychological balance.
In my experience, my neighbor constructed one room apartment without a window or ceilings then packed in within 2 weeks because of increase house rent.
Another important aspect why citizens are relocating to their home is that they want to be free from landlord issues
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 195 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you identify reasons for home ownership and express a position, the arguments are underdeveloped and lack sufficient detail. The conclusion is missing, and the final paragraph is incomplete. To improve, you must expand your points with more detailed explanations and examples, ensuring you address all parts of the prompt fully. The under-length nature of the essay prevents a higher score as the task is not fully addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay shows some attempt at logical organization, using transition signals like 'To begin with' and 'Another important aspect'. However, the progression is hindered by the lack of a proper conclusion and the abrupt ending of the final paragraph. Paragraphing is present but the structure is weak due to the brevity of the text. Cohesive devices are used, but they are sometimes mechanical or misused, such as 'As a results' (should be 'As a result'). The overall flow is interrupted by these structural issues and the incomplete nature of the arguments.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'cost of living' and 'investment', but there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'packed in' (which is informal and contextually incorrect) and 'residence home' (which is redundant). The range is limited, and there is some repetition of basic vocabulary. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding informal phrasal verbs.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'it is essential to own a house than to rent' (incorrect comparative structure), 'As a results' (pluralization error), and 'consequently enhances a quality of life' (missing subject/incorrect verb form). Punctuation is also inconsistent. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent sentence structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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