Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-24

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)

Some people believe that owning an apartment is more crucial than living in a rental house. I agree with this view because possessing a home provides housing security and personal autonomy, which renting cannot offer.

In this modern world, people prefer ownership rather than rental property for the following reasons. Ownership offers financial security and long-term wealth building. It builds equity over time instead of paying rent that disappears monthly. When you own, every mortgage payment you make increases your ownership of the property—gradually building an asset worth money. In contrast, renters pay indefinitely with nothing to show for it. Additionally, Ownership provides independence, allowing homeowners to control their space. Families are not dependent on a landlord's decisions and can make future plans like modifying, renovating, or decorating spaces without a landlord's permission.

This is a positive aspect because every family needs financial stability to plan their future. Ownership provides security as homeowners build capital through equity rather than wasting money on rent. This accumulated capital can be invested in studies abroad, gold, new business ventures, and other opportunities for family growth. The independence of ownership allows homeowners to build their ideal living space and make long-term plans without fear of sudden eviction or restrictions. Consequently, they plan to live in the owned apartment for a longer time and build long-term connections with local neighbours. For example, apartment owners in Mumbai have renovated and personalized their homes without seeking landlord permission, creating spaces that reflect their family's needs and values. This freedom allows them to invest in improvements of their property, increasing its value while building lasting community connections.

To sum up, home ownership grants families both financial empowerment and freedom of choice in their living arrangements.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the prompt directly, identifying reasons why homeownership is valued (housing security, financial stability, personal autonomy) and clearly stating their position that this is a positive situation. The ideas are extended and supported adequately throughout the body paragraphs. For instance, the discussion on building equity rather than 'paying rent that disappears monthly' is well-reasoned and directly relates to financial stability. Similarly, the example of apartment owners in Mumbai personalizing their living spaces illustrates the point about personal autonomy and freedom. Although some arguments could be explored in even greater depth to push into the higher band territory, the response fully satisfies the requirements of the task with a clear, consistent position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from an introductory stance to reasons for ownership, followed by an evaluation of why this is positive, and concluding effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Additionally', and 'Consequently' are used appropriately to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used sufficiently, with each main idea grouped logically. Referencing is generally clear, though minor mechanical transitions could occasionally be more fluid to achieve a higher band. Overall, the structural progression is easy to follow and meets the descriptors for a solid level of coherence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow for some precision and flexibility. Phrases such as 'housing security', 'personal autonomy', 'long-term wealth building', and 'financial empowerment' show an ability to use less common lexical items with an awareness of style and collocation. There are occasional slight awkwardness or minor word choice issues, such as 'rental house' instead of 'rented accommodation', but these do not impede communication. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, showing a good control of vocabulary suitable for an academic response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and conditional ideas effectively (e.g., 'When you own, every mortgage payment you make increases your ownership...'). There is a good control of grammar and punctuation overall, with a high frequency of error-free sentences. Minor slips occur, such as the capitalization error in 'Additionally, Ownership provides independence', but these are occasional and non-systematic. The complexity of the sentence forms used demonstrates solid control over grammatical structures without impeding the reader's understanding.

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

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