Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Every country has its own particular customs and values, typically with which their government operates independently. For many foreign countries like Australia for instance, people highly prefer owning their own home rather than buying and renting a house they have to pay for every month. The reason behind this mindset holds a wide range of individualism, where individuals can make changes to their own home according to their particular requirements and desires, without any government or public involvement. The rented houses are strictly prohibited to be redesigned or reconstructed without appropriate lawful approach. The government penalty those who dares to change the household features including its infrastructure inside or out. Thus, making it quite hard for people to make typical adjustments while holding back their needs for changes. Although the people can ask for permission to do so but a self-decisive acts regarding the house is a concerning factor and for these particular circumstances, most people strive to have their own homeplace.

The privacy to modify the house according to one's need is also exploited when the owner of the house denies to its permission. This establishes a concept of owning one's own home with self-centred decisions and also it becomes an ultimate asset to an indivudual for a long-term advantage.

I personally believe this is an extremely positive approach which gives the idea of self-sufficiency and confidence to a person who does not need to ask or adjust into a house where renovation can not be done without permission from the legislation or the owner of the house.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt by explaining why home ownership is important and stating a clear personal position on whether this is a positive or negative situation. The main reason provided focuses on autonomy, personalization, and the restrictions associated with renting. However, the ideas are somewhat repetitive and under-developed, particularly when discussing the negative aspects of renting versus the long-term benefits of owning. The arguments tend to wander slightly into general assertions rather than being fully extended with concrete examples. Nevertheless, the position is maintained throughout the essay. This performance aligns well with Band 6 descriptors, as all parts of the task are addressed, but the development lacks depth and extension in places.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. However, the paragraphing is problematic; the main body is split into two uneven paragraphs where the second paragraph is exceptionally short, containing only a single sentence and a half. Cohesive devices are used, but sometimes mechanically or awkwardly, such as 'Thus, making it quite hard' and 'The privacy to modify the house... is also exploited'. Referencing is occasionally confusing, for instance, when the pronoun 'it' lacks a clear, immediate antecedent. While logical progression is present, the faulty paragraphing and mechanical transitions pull the cohesion down to a Band 5.5, rounding to 6.0 based on overall structural progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student attempts a range of vocabulary, including terms like 'individualism', 'infrastructure', 'self-sufficiency', and 'legislation'. However, there are notable instances of inappropriate word choice and collocation, such as 'most people strive to have their own homeplace', 'exploited when the owner of the house denies to its permission', and 'a self-decisive acts'. There is also a spelling error ('indivudual'). These lexical errors and awkward phrasings occasionally impede the flow of reading, though communication is generally maintained. This corresponds to the Band 5.0 or 5.5 descriptors, where vocabulary is adequate for the task but marked by noticeable errors in word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses and conditional-like ideas. However, control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, including 'typically with which their government operates independently', 'The government penalty those who dares', and 'Although the people can ask for permission to do so but a self-decisive acts... is a concerning factor'. These errors cause some difficulty for the reader and demonstrate that complex structures are frequently faulty. This sits comfortably within the Band 5 descriptor, where frequent errors occur and attempts at complex structures lack accuracy.

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