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 undeniable that in some countries, people believe that owning a home is more beneficial than renting one. There are several reasons for this preference, and I believe that it is a positive development, which will be discussed in the forthcoming paragraphs.

An important reason for owning a home is that it can be beneficial for people who plan to make a long-term investment. If families intend to live in their current location for a long time, they may prefer to purchase a house rather than rely on rented accommodation. When anyone has achieved high position in certain company, and they would like to continue that job for longer time, they might think about buying a house. Moreover, renting house is expensive than renting one, as they may not have to pay rent every month to home-owner. If families live in rented house, the most expensive category becomes rent. Therefore, they are more likely to plan about purchasing a house.

There are some positive development towards owning a home rather than renting one. The major factor is stability for families. Owning a home provides a permanent place to live. As people buy a new house, they do not need to worry about landlords increasing rent or asking them to leave. It is a very beneficial for families who have children, as they have open space for their children to grow without stress. Another significant factor is the freedom to modify the house. If families buy a property, they may change the structure, color, or design, if they do not like it. They are able to change the whole structure of house based on their preference, which may help them to design their house themselves.

To sum up, in some countries, owning a house is more beneficial than living in a rented one. There are several reasons, including long-term investment, reduce rent. I think this is a positive development, as it gives them not only the stability to live there permanently but also the freedom to make modifications according to their preferences.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for the importance of home ownership and the writer's opinion on whether this is positive. The ideas are relevant, such as financial stability and the freedom to modify property. However, the development is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the second paragraph where the argument regarding rent is unclear and slightly contradictory. The position is clear throughout, but the explanation of why it is a 'positive' development could be more nuanced to reach a higher band. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but the supporting arguments lack depth and precision.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover', 'Therefore', and 'To sum up', though some transitions feel mechanical. There are instances where the flow is slightly hindered by awkward phrasing, such as the transition between the discussion of job stability and the cost of renting. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons from the evaluation of the situation. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the internal cohesion within the second paragraph could be improved to better link the points about rent and investment.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the writer's meaning, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'renting house is expensive than renting one', which is confusing. The writer relies on basic vocabulary and repeats words like 'house' and 'families' frequently. While the student attempts to use some topic-specific language like 'long-term investment' and 'permanent place', the overall lexical range is limited. To improve, the student should focus on using more varied synonyms and collocations related to real estate and personal finance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in certain company', 'in rented house'), incorrect comparative structures ('expensive than'), and minor punctuation issues. Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are occasionally inconsistent. Although the student attempts complex sentences, these are often where the errors occur. The majority of sentences are understandable, but the frequency of errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. More attention to proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is recommended.

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