Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-04

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 6.5)

There is an ongoing debate about why it is so important to buy a house instead of renting for people in some countries. This is mainly because for some cultures owing a house means security for the individual. In my opinion, there are more advantages to be a house owner and this is an overall positive situation.

One of the main reasons why in some countries people tend to prefer buying a house instead of renting, is because it brings security for them, especially on poorer countries. In Brazil, for instance, the government implamented a program where first-home buyers could buy a house with lower interest fees. The purpose of this program is to give the population the opportunity of having their first house and pay for something that belongs to themselves rather than paying rent. This resulted in more low-income individuals being able to afford their house. Furthermore, the monthly payment tend to get lower with time in comparison with rent.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of being a home owner. It could be more difficult to move cities, for example. That is because instead of just move from a house to another, the person needs to sell or rent their property, while looking for another place. Another considerable reason to be cautious before purchasing a house is the maintanence that a property requires, because it can be a significant spending. A good example can be seen when a house needs renovation, which is usually expensive and need to be considered before purchasing a new home.

To conclude, owning a house might be difficult in some aspects, and people need to consider those aspects. However, I believe that it has a positive effect for those who desire to own a property, as it brings security and tend to be cheaper than renting in the long term.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the importance of home ownership and providing a clear opinion on whether it is a positive or negative situation. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of financial security and the Brazilian government program. However, the development of the 'negative' side is slightly less balanced compared to the 'positive' side. While the position is clear throughout, the arguments could be extended further with more nuanced analysis to reach a higher band. Overall, the task is well-covered with a logical progression of ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for ownership from the disadvantages. Cohesive devices such as 'for instance', 'furthermore', and 'on the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more varied. The progression of ideas is clear, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at less common items like 'low-income individuals' and 'renovation'. There are a few spelling errors, such as 'implamented' (implemented) and 'maintanence' (maintenance), and some minor collocation issues, such as 'advantages to be a house owner' (advantages of being a homeowner). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, the lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary prevents a higher score. The errors do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the monthly payment tend' (should be 'tends') and 'instead of just move' (should be 'moving'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage errors throughout. Despite these slips, the meaning is always clear, and the errors do not cause difficulty for the reader. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of gerunds after prepositions.

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