Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-18
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)
It had been suggested that in some countries people prefer owning a house rather than renting one. I firmly of my opinion that it is a positive development.
The most comparing argument in favour of this is that it provides a sense of stability and security to an individual. This is largely because if an individual owns his or her own house, it appeals a sense of security for living. Moreover, today every person is busy in their own schedules, and after the entire tiring day, they wish to feel comfortable and relaxed. So if they own a place for themselves when nobody else can have right, it makes them feel calm, confident, and comfortable. A clear example of this can be seen in a household where every individual is working and when they get tired, they can rest peacefully and spend time with each other comfortably in their house.
Admittedly, it is true that renting a house offers flexibility. The most significant of this is that if an individual work and has higher chances of relocating, then renting the house is more beneficial. For instance, if the person relocate himself for herself because of work or any personal reasons, then renting a house would be better option with both financial and flexibility .
In conclusion, I firmly of the opinion that owning a house provides sense of stability with security. It also benefits in long-term financial investment.
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: reasons for the importance of home ownership and an opinion on whether this is positive or negative. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. While the reasons for ownership (stability) and the counter-argument (flexibility) are mentioned, the ideas are somewhat underdeveloped. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. To improve, you should expand on your points with more specific examples or deeper analysis to ensure the response meets the length requirement and provides a more comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover', 'Admittedly', and 'For instance', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be more robust. The overall structure is logical, but the limited length prevents a more sophisticated development of ideas, which affects the overall coherence of the argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'most comparing argument' (should be 'most compelling') and 'appeals a sense of security' (should be 'provides' or 'instills'). While the meaning is clear, the word choice is often repetitive and lacks sophistication. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that collocations are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'I firmly of my opinion' (missing 'am'), 'if an individual work' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'if the person relocate himself for herself' (tense and pronoun errors). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction and verb tenses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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