Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-27
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)
There has been an increase in popularity of the opinion that ownership of a house is superiour to renting a house . I think this specific issue has gained traction due to the cultural norms and certain myths associated with ownership and rental being villanized in many coutries. I believe that this is a negative situation because ownership is not ideal for every income group and that many do not utilize their financial resources in the best manner due to this social pressure created.
Firstly, people prefer to have a house in their name due to it being a status symbol in many countries. It is a status symbol because in these countries mostly people are from lower income backgrounds and cannot afford to have an asset like a residential property thus creating a sense of superiority and respect for those who are able to own it.
Furthermore, this particular attitude has lead to many people obsessing over ownership of a house leading to them adopting measures like life long mortgages and other financial help which is unsuitable for middle class and lower income groups of the society. This is beacause many are not able to manage their expenses and have the required financial resources to pay of the interest carrying amount leading to poor credit history and generational
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the importance of home ownership and expressing a clear negative stance. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which prevents a full development of the arguments. The second body paragraph is incomplete, ending abruptly without a conclusion or a full explanation of the 'generational' impact mentioned. Consequently, the ideas are under-developed, and the task is only partially addressed due to the lack of completion. To improve, you must ensure you reach the word count by fully expanding on your points and including a concluding paragraph that summarizes your main arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly' and 'Furthermore' to organize ideas. However, the logical progression is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the final paragraph. Paragraphing is present, but the abrupt ending makes the overall structure feel unfinished. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a concluding paragraph limits the coherence of the piece as a whole. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that the essay concludes with a summary that reinforces your position.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several spelling errors, such as 'superiour' (superior), 'villanized' (vilanized), 'coutries' (countries), and 'beacause' (because). While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are noticeable. You use some relevant terms like 'status symbol' and 'financial resources,' but the overall lexical range is limited. Focus on proofreading your work to eliminate basic spelling mistakes and try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations to enhance your writing style.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'this particular attitude has lead to' (led) and 'pay of the interest' (pay off). Punctuation is generally functional, but the incomplete sentence at the end of the text significantly impacts the assessment of grammatical control. While you attempt complex ideas, the frequency of errors and the unfinished nature of the writing prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tense usage to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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