Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-28

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)

In some countries, many people buy their own homes rather than renting. In my opinion, buying a home is the right decision, as it provides financial security and stability.

There are several reasons why home ownership is highly valued in certain countries. Many people buy their own homes because of financial security; they think it seems like a long-term investment. For example, some people purchase a property early because they expect homes to become too expensive in the future, and this protects their families from further difficulties. Another reason is cultural and family tradition most people buy their own homes because their relatives buy homes early, and seeing them makes people feel that they should buy a home just as they did. For instance, in Pakistan, most people judge others financially, and if someone does not own a home, they are not valued in the eyes of affluent people.

Owning a home also has clear advantages as a long-term savings plan, as many people buy a home to save their money for future needs. For example, in Pakistan, most people save their money to buy a home as a financial safety net. Another reason is that it protects against rising rents people fear rents, which increase every year, and that is why most people think of buying their own home instead of paying rent. For instance, in some foreign countries, house rents are very high and people cannot afford them, so they decide to buy their own homes.

In conclusion, I maintain that owning a home is the best option as a financial safety net, and it also protects against rising rents, since both rents and purchase prices are likely to increase greatly in the future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: explaining why home ownership is important and offering an opinion on whether this is a positive or negative situation. The student establishes a clear position in the introduction stating that buying a home is positive due to financial security and stability. Main ideas are presented, such as long-term investment, cultural expectations, and protection against rising rents. However, some of these ideas become repetitive across paragraphs, particularly the notions of financial safety nets and inflation of rent prices. Consequently, the development is somewhat limited rather than fully explored. For instance, the reference to cultural expectations in Pakistan touches upon social judgment, but this point could have been extended with greater clarity. While all parts are addressed, the depth of extension places this response comfortably at Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction and conclusion. Paragraphing is utilised to separate distinct ideas, such as financial reasons, cultural traditions, and practical savings benefits. However, cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or repetitive, as seen with phrases like 'Another reason is' used consecutively. Furthermore, referencing and logical progression within paragraphs occasionally falter due to run-on structures and abrupt transitions, such as moving from family traditions directly into social judgment in Pakistan without sufficient bridging devices. Overall organisation is adequate to guide the reader through the argument, but the lack of flexible cohesion restricts the score to Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'financial security', 'long-term investment', 'cultural and family tradition', and 'financial safety net'. There are attempts to use less common items, though some collocations and word choices show occasional inaccuracies, such as 'judge others financially' instead of evaluating someone's financial status, or 'protects against rising rents people fear rents'. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the text. While the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main arguments clearly, it lacks the flexibility, precision, and sophistication required to reach higher band levels, making Band 6.0 an appropriate evaluation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional ideas, such as 'if someone does not own a home, they are not valued'. There are, however, several grammatical errors and punctuation lapses, particularly run-on sentences and comma splices, as seen in 'Another reason is cultural and family tradition most people buy their own homes because their relatives buy homes early'. Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, and the meaning remains clear throughout the essay. Because there is a reasonable mix of structures alongside noticeable structural slips and punctuation issues, the writing fits the Band 6.0 criteria well.

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

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