Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-26

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)

In some countries owning a house rather than renting one is very important for the citizens. From my perspective, it is a positive situation as the property may increase its value over time. In this essay, we will discuss some of the advantages and drawbacks of renting a house.

Nowadays, poverty is the most common problems in some countries. People are facing problems in the basic necessities, for example food and shelter. In this case, many people believe that a personal home is a better approach instead of renting one. This is because everyone is striving for financial stability and working hard from a very young age. For instance, many students are doing part-time jobs for earning. Individuals prefer investing money in building a home for a stable future. Another significant factor is that people could decorate their homes according to their interest, whereas it is difficult to do alterations in a rented home. Citizens are free of stress that is related to paying rents and maintenance. Another benefit is that a personal home allows us to design it according to our preferences, for instance we could create a lawn with our favorite plants in it.

There are some disadvantages of renting a home that might results in negative situations. The major drawback includes the maintenance, for instance tenants are mostly unbothered about the management of the house. As a consequence, it might result in property damage. Sometimes, landlord may face problems with late or unpaid rent.

In conclusion, having a property of your own is more beneficial than renting one. Another positive aspect is that it allows us having the freedom to renovate and modify it according to our needs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for home ownership and expressing a clear position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat inconsistent. The introduction mentions discussing 'drawbacks of renting', but the body paragraphs focus primarily on the benefits of owning. The link between 'poverty' and the necessity of home ownership is not fully explained, making the argument feel slightly disjointed. To improve, ensure that each paragraph directly supports the thesis statement and that the distinction between the reasons for ownership and the evaluation of it as a positive/negative situation is more clearly delineated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is occasionally hindered by abrupt transitions. For example, the shift from discussing poverty to home decoration is quite sudden. While cohesive devices like 'for instance' and 'as a consequence' are used, they are sometimes applied mechanically. The conclusion introduces a new point about renovation that should have been integrated into the body paragraphs rather than appearing as a final thought. Improving the use of linking words to create smoother transitions between sentences and paragraphs would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'financial stability' and 'alterations'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'poverty is the most common problems' (should be 'problem') and 'doing part-time jobs for earning' (should be 'to earn money'). The range is sufficient to discuss the topic, but more precise collocations and a wider variety of academic vocabulary would be needed to reach a higher band score.

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 frequent grammatical errors that affect the accuracy of the writing. Examples include 'the property may increase its value' (should be 'its value may increase'), 'might results in' (should be 'might result in'), and 'landlord may face' (should be 'landlords may face'). Additionally, there are issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and pluralization would be beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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