Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-21
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 IS WIDELY BELIEVED IN SOME AREAS THAT OWNING A HOME IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR INDIVIDUALS RATHER THAN RENTING ONE. MEANWHILE, I WOULD AGREE WITH THE ABOVE PHENOMENON AND REASONS TO SUPPORT THIS POSITIVE SITUATION WILL BE EXPLAINED IN THE ENSUING PARAGRAPHS, ALONG WITH THE EXAMPLES. DISCUSSING THE MAJOR MERITS, THE MOST OBVIOUS ONE IS THAT OWNING A HOME IS A LONG-TERM ENORMOUSLY SECURE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT BECAUSE PROPERTY PRICES MAY SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE OVER TIME. TO JUSTIFY IT FURTHER, FINANCIALLY STABLE FAMILY BUYS A HOME IN A DEVELOPING CITY MAY SELL IT AFTER SOME TIME FOR MUCH HIGHER PRICE. MOREOVER, PROPERTY PRICES MAY INCREASE OVER TIME AND HOME OWNERS CAN BUILD WEALTH. THEREFORE, IN SOME COUNTRIES OWNING A HOME IS CONSIDERED A SYMBOL OF THRIVING. HOMEOWNERS DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE INCREASING RENTS AND LANDLORDS ASKING THEM TO LEAVE, THUS PEOPLE FEEL PSYCHOLOGICALLY ALLEVIATED. UNDOUBTEDLY, OWNERS CAN RENOVATE AND DECORATE THEIR PROPERTY ACCORDING TO THEIR PERSONAL MINDSET AND CREATIVITY. TO BE MORE PRECISE, OWNING A HOME CAN PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE. OWNING A HOME IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ASSETS FOR CHILDREN BECAUSE OF INFLATION AND HIGH DEMAND IN THE FUTURE. FOR INSTANCE, HOMEOWNERS CAN BUILD EXTRA ROOMS AND PARKING AREAS OR CAN RENOVATE THE KITCHEN AS PER THEIR NEEDS. TO SUM UP, IN THIS COMPETITIVE ERA, BUYING A HOME OFFERS SEVERAL IMPORTANT BENEFITS, SUCH AS FINANCIAL STABILITY, SECURITY AND A VALUABLE INVESTMENT. HENCE, OWNING A HOME IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE IN SOME COUNTRIES.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: explaining why home ownership is important and expressing a clear opinion on whether it is positive. The ideas regarding financial security and psychological stability are relevant and supported with examples, such as the ability to renovate. However, the development is somewhat repetitive; for instance, the point about property prices increasing is mentioned multiple times. While the position is clear, the essay lacks a more sophisticated exploration of the 'negative' side of the situation, which would have provided a more balanced and comprehensive argument. Overall, the response meets the requirements but remains somewhat basic in its analytical depth.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'moreover', 'therefore', and 'to sum up', which help guide the reader through the argument. However, the paragraphing is problematic; the entire body of the essay is presented as a single, dense block of text. This lack of paragraph breaks makes the progression of ideas feel cluttered and less professional. To improve, the student should separate distinct ideas into individual paragraphs to enhance readability and demonstrate better control over the structure of the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at more sophisticated phrasing like 'psychologically alleviated' and 'thriving'. However, there are instances of awkward collocation and word choice, such as 'symbol of thriving' (which should be 'a symbol of prosperity') and 'financially stable family buys a home... may sell it' (which lacks grammatical cohesion). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but the reliance on repetitive structures and occasional imprecise word choices limits the score. Expanding the range of topic-specific vocabulary related to real estate and economics would be beneficial.
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 several grammatical errors, such as 'financially stable family buys a home... may sell it' (missing articles and subject-verb agreement issues) and 'as per their needs' (a slightly informal usage). The use of all-caps throughout the text is a significant stylistic error that negatively impacts the presentation. There are also minor punctuation and article errors throughout. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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