Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
It is becoming more and more appropriate in some countries to buy a house instead of renting one. I think that the reason behind this is that people are more stable when they possess their home. This trend is neither positive nor negative, but depends on the socio-economic situation of every person in the society.
Generally speaking, people tend to own things than to hire them. This is because when someone owns a brand new car or a beautiful house, this will give them a better social status and show that they are rich.
Owning a house is a merit when individuals could afford that. On the other hand, so long as people are taking morgage to have a house, this is a drawback since they have to work hard and not having leisure time where they might entertain and enjoy their life.
To conclude, although people seem to be more happy when they own a house since this brings to them future stability and hope, I feel that this situation could be positve as long as the owner is from a rich socio-economic environment and negative on other side
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you address both parts of the prompt—explaining why home ownership is important and discussing whether it is positive or negative—the arguments are underdeveloped. For instance, the point about social status is mentioned but not expanded upon with clear examples or logical consequences. Similarly, the discussion on the drawbacks of mortgages is brief. To improve, you must expand your paragraphs with specific evidence, personal or societal examples, and deeper analysis to reach the required length and demonstrate a more thorough exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'Generally speaking' and 'On the other hand' are used correctly, but the transitions between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. The conclusion is abrupt and lacks a clear summary of the main points discussed. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that flows logically into the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You rely on simple terms like 'rich' and 'happy' rather than more precise academic alternatives. There are also some minor collocation issues, such as 'taking morgage' (should be 'taking out a mortgage') and 'not having leisure time where they might entertain' (which is slightly unnatural). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to economics and social trends, and pay closer attention to word combinations and spelling, such as 'morgage' which should be spelled 'mortgage'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'people tend to own things than to hire them' is grammatically incorrect (should be 'rather than'), and 'not having leisure time' lacks a proper subject-verb connection in that clause. Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage errors. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining your use of complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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