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)
Many countries prefer to own a home rather then live in rent rooms and house it is very crucial for individuals. While the urge to own property provides financial safety and independence. I believe this situation is mostly positive, despite the burden of long-term loan commitments.
On the one hand, numerous people think that own home provides privacy and personal space. This is because people feel freedom in their home. They can decorate to their home according their favourite wall colour and furniture. In addition people live in their home without any problem, sometime individuals suffer from mental stress because they are paying rent every weeks. As a result, if people have home they can live without any burden. To illustrate, a large number of people cannot pay rent because they do not have sufficient money to handle their living expenses. Consequently, they run far away without pay rent.
On the other hand, numerous people cannot afford private house. The main reason for this that they do not able to pay long term bank loan, since they do not financial capable to pay monthly emi As a consequence, they can faces a lot of problems. For instance, If people can afford new house they can purchase it, but some people do not financial stable, therefore they should not buy new house.
To conclude, owning house many significant benefits such as privacy and personal space. However, if people do not have sufficient money to buy new house they can suffer from mental stress and depression because they cannot able to pay loan.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| 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 development of ideas is limited. While you mention privacy and financial security, the arguments are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the point about 'mental stress' is mentioned in both body paragraphs without being fully explored or contrasted effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is supported by a clear, logical explanation or a specific example that directly relates to the prompt's core question rather than general statements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are used, but the internal flow within paragraphs is disjointed. For example, the transition between discussing home decoration and mental stress is abrupt. Additionally, referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'Consequently, they run far away without pay rent,' where the connection to the previous argument is weak. Improving the variety and precision of linking words will help the flow of your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'good' or 'problem' and repeat words such as 'home' and 'money' frequently. There are also errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'live in rent rooms' (should be 'rented rooms') and 'do not financial capable' (should be 'are not financially capable'). To improve, focus on learning collocations related to finance and housing, and try to use more precise synonyms to avoid repetition and demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('numerous people think that own home provides'), missing articles, and incorrect verb forms ('they do not able to pay'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on mastering basic sentence patterns and checking for subject-verb agreement before moving on to more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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